Catacombs
by Kenya Starflight
Summary: Sequel to Centaur of Attention. Luke's back in Xanth... and he's brought Leia and Boba Fett! But he and his father must confront a menace from Mundania... and Demon XANTH himself.
1. Night Mare

**Cat-a-combs**

**Sequel to "Centaur of Attention"**

_Rated PG-13 for violence, stork references, and Metria/Mentia (enough said)_

**Part I – Night Mare**

The Emperor was dead.

Somehow the entire crew of the Death Star knew this, as if their minds had been telepathically bound to the evil monarch's… and that link had been severed by his death. Somehow everyone, from the lowliest soldier in the pecking order to Commander Jerjerrod himself, sensed their master and leader had been slain. Somehow they knew, and they reacted in the crazed manner that panic instills in even the most placid souls.

Somehow, even Jenny Elf knew.

Never mind that she hadn't known that the Emperor even existed before this moment. Never mind that she wasn't even native to this galaxy. Never mind that she had no idea what she was doing here, on the Death Star, a universe away from her home in Xanth.

White-armored men charged past her, resembling overgrown imps to her eyes and almost making her laugh. But a growing sense of dread filled the air and smothered the laugh before it could escape her lips. She had to get out of here now! They were all in danger! She didn't know how she knew that; she just knew that something terrible would happen if she stayed here much longer.

The troopers paid no attention to her as they ran by. She tried to grab one's arm as he passed, but the limb slipped through her fingers as if she'd tried to grab a branch of a slippery-elm tree.

"Sir, please stop!" she shouted. "How do you get out of here?"

He acted as if he couldn't hear her. He didn't even look at her – in fact, he and everyone else seemed to be looking everywhere _but _at her. It was as if she were invisible.

"Sammy!" she shouted.

Her orange-furred cat yowled in panic as he ran for her, winding his way through the legs of the stampeding crowd. For a moment she feared he'd be trampled, but the soldiers and officers were stepping all around him, their feet not even touching him but landing everywhere except the ground he was occupying. Was this some peculiar kind of magic?

No time to think about that. "Sammy, find a way out of here!"

Sammy bolted, and she ran after him. At least his talent – the ability to find anything but home – still operated here.

_/This must be the Galaxy Far, Far Away/ _she realized as she followed Sammy. _/Luke and Vader's world/ _No wonder these white-armored men looked so familiar – the imps of the city of Imp Ire in Xanth were miniature copies of the Imperial stormtroopers.

The hallway opened up into a room bigger than any Jenny had ever seen in her life. Why, the Good Magician's castle could fit inside here with room to spare! And it was full of what looked like metal dragons – and hundreds of frantic people who were willingly feeding themselves to the beasts. It took her a few minutes to get over her shock and realize that the creatures weren't creatures at all, but some sort of flying machines. Starships, she supposed, though they looked nothing like boats…

Sammy approached one of the starships and sat down. So this was the way out. For some reason, none of the Imperials were boarding this ship. She sat down next to the gangplank, hoping someone who knew how to work this flying machine would be along soon…

Sammy meowed loudly, pawing his mistress' leg.

"What is it, Sammy?"

He mewled again and looked beyond her, and she turned around.

_/Luke and Vader/_

The two men were making their way toward her ship – or trying to. Something seemed to be wrong with Vader's legs, and he had to lean heavily on Luke for support. Her heart leaped. She hadn't seen these men for some time, not since they'd finished playing the game almost two months ago…

But Vader collapsed, as if he were too weak to stand. Luke struggled to pull him to his feet, but to no avail.

With a frightened gasp Jenny ran forward to help. Even though Vader was no longer her Player, she still couldn't stand to see him in pain or trouble. She tried her hardest to help Luke drag his injured father to the vehicle, but every time she tried to grab hold of him she lost her grip. It was as if the world around her were made up solely of illusions.

At last Luke pulled Vader to the base of the ramp leading into the ship, and he knelt beside him in order to catch his breath. Jenny knelt at Vader's other side, anxious. His breathing sounded so labored, and his armor was blotched with char marks. His right hand had been chopped off entirely, and ragged wires jutted from the leather sleeve. When she placed her ear against his chest, she could hear his heart beating erratically. What had happened to hurt him so badly…

Then she remembered with a shock. After Vader and Luke had left Xanth, the Good Magician had explained to them that father and son would meet again, that the Emperor would force them to fight each other… and that Vader would give his life to save Luke and balance the Force.

_/No/ _she pleaded silently, tears sliding down her cheeks. _/Don't let him die. Not after he's done so much to save Xanth and his own world, not after saving his son…/_

Vader spoke, struggling to form the words, his voice terribly weak.

"Luke… help me take… this mask off…"

Luke stared, horrified, at his father. "No. You'll die…"

"Nothing can stop that now," Vader replied softly, clinging to Luke's arm with his remaining hand. "Just once… let me look on you… with my own eyes…"

Jenny's breath caught in her throat. Vader knew he was dying, knew that even the mechanical mask couldn't keep him alive much longer. And he wanted to die on his own terms.

Hesitantly Luke reached down and carefully pulled the domed helmet off. Jenny held her breath as he detached the fearsome, snarling mask and gently peeled it away from Vader's face.

She flinched involuntarily. He was hideous. Red-rimmed blue eyes lay sunken in pouches of dark skin within his eye sockets. Angry red scars scrawled across his face and bald scalp, and what skin wasn't scarred was as white as unicorn's hide. She couldn't hold back a sob of pity. Vader had told her he'd been injured by falling into a fiery pit, but she hadn't realized just how badly he'd been hurt.

Luke was staring at his father, his features overwhelmed with sadness, revulsion, and – most of all – sympathy. Despite her tears, Jenny couldn't help but smile. Back in Xanth, Luke hadn't wanted to accept Vader as his father, but now…

"Now go… my son…" Vader gasped, fighting for every breath. "Leave me…"

"No!" Jenny cried, forgetting that neither man could hear her.

"No," Luke pleaded, shaking his head, his eyes full of emotion. "I have to save you…"

"You already have," Vader assured him. A smile formed on his lips, a smile that illuminated his ravaged face and seemed to make him look far less disfigured. "You were right about me… tell… your sister… you were right about me…"

Sister? Luke had a sister? But before she had time to absorb that thought, Vader's eyes drifted out of focus, and his body relaxed.

"No…" Luke whispered.

Jenny stared, powerless to help, powerless to even comfort Luke, as Darth Vader quietly died.

Luke's head bowed as he sobbed, clinging to his father's body, entirely oblivious to the chaos around him.

Jenny's own vision blurred as her eyes overflowed with tears. Why now, just when Luke had gotten his father back? Why did Vader have to die now? He'd just killed the Emperor. He'd just done so much good. And now he was gone. She buried her face in Vader's cloak and wept…

"…Jenny, wake up!"

She raised her head, confused. Someone else could see her here?

"Jenny, another Companion's coming!" Nada Naga, in her lovely human form, said eagerly, shaking the elf girl gently. "Wake up, sleepyhead. Everyone's going to go greet the new arrival."

She looked up at the naga princess, puzzled. "What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you're doing here, silly," Nada replied with a teasing smile. "Participating in the game, waiting for a Player to show up." She gave Jenny a concerned look. "Hey, are you okay, Jenny? You look like you've been crying."

Jenny got to her feet and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "I'm fine. Just a dream."

"I see." Nada looked down at the ground, where the infamous moon-and-upside-down-U of a night mare's hoofprint had been stamped into the earth. "A bad dream, from the looks of it. Was it really that bad?"

"I'll be okay," she assured her.

"If you're sure." She placed a hand on Jenny's back to guide her toward the others. "Let's go meet the new Companion."

Jenny sighed and went to where the other Companions stood. There was nothing she could do about her dream. It would happen – or had already happened – or was happening now. All she could do was offer condolences to Luke when he next came to Xanth… if he ever returned.

Grundy Golem, Marrow Bones, Horace Centaur, and Goody Goblin were also gathered in the meadow where potential Companions met, conversed, and were acquainted with their Players. There was no sign of Demoness Metria. Had she bowed out of the game?

"Where's Metria?" she asked.

"Metria got married, received half a soul, and fell in love, in that order," Marrow Bones informed her. "She and her husband are currently busy trying to get the stork to bring them a child, so she's too busy to participate in the game right now."

"I'm happy for her," Jenny replied with a smile. It had been two months since she and Metria had accompanied Luke and Vader on their quest to Lake Eerie to defeat Darius Dracotaur and save Xanth and the Galaxy Far, Far Away. During that time Jenny had turned sixteen, meaning that even while playing the game she was no longer subject to the Adult Conspiracy. Thus, Marrow's comment was by no means a forbidden topic.

That got her thinking. During her last game, she and her friends had passed through a dreamcatcher, learning each other's heart's desires in the process. Chang and Wara had achieved their desires by getting married, and Luke achieved his when… never mind, she didn't want to think about her dream. And now Metria had just received a soul, part of her heart's desire. That left herself and Vader… but now that Vader was dead, he wouldn't have a chance to experience his heart's desire of being completely healed. That saddened her, but she couldn't do anything about it, so she dismissed the matter.

"Does anyone know who is replacing the demoness?" asked Horace.

"Dunno yet," Grundy replied. "But whoever he, she, or it is, they're late."

Sammy meowed.

"What is it, Sammy?" asked Jenny.

The cat loped to the edge of the clearing, where a large black-and-brown wolf-like dog had just emerged from the undergrowth. Sammy touched noses with the canine before coming back to his mistress, purring happily. Jenny smiled. This was Misty, the brave dog who had aided their group in finding Darius' underground fortress back at Lake Eerie. Was she to be a Companion choice? Her inability to speak might be a drawback, but her loyalty and bravery would more than make up for that.

But tree branches began snapping as something huge moved through the jungle, and an even larger creature stepped into the clearing, sunlight gleaming on jet-black armored scales. A dragon! Jenny stepped back, alarmed. Goody screamed, Nada assumed snake form to fight the creature, and Horace set an arrow to his bow. No beast had ever dared attack the Companions in this meadow before. What was so different now?

Misty barked once, and the dragon bent its head low to touch its muzzle to her nose in a peculiar sort of goodbye kiss. Then the dog disappeared back in the jungle, and the dragon turned its attention to the Companions. It snorted once, folded its wings, reared onto its hind legs… and assumed human form.

Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. This man must be a weredragon – and a Companion choice. Misty must have been required by the game to escort him to the Companion's meadow.

"Welcome, sir," she greeted, curtseying awkwardly. "My name is…"

"Jenny?" the man interrupted, his voice incredulous. "Jenny Elf?"

She looked up, startled. She'd never met a weredragon before now. How could this one suddenly know her name?

The man strode swiftly up to her, never taking his sky-colored eyes off her. He wore dark brown robes that flared after him like trailing wings, and a silvery-handled lightsaber hung from one hip. His gray-blond hair and handsome face looked oddly familiar, like an older version of Luke…

She gasped in happy surprise. Something else the Good Magician had told her came rushing back – after Vader died in the Galaxy Far, Far Away, he would come to live in Xanth.

"Lord Vader!" she cried, throwing her arms around his waist.

He chuckled and returned the embrace. "Anakin," he corrected. "My name is Anakin now, Jenny. Oh stars, I never thought I'd be this happy to see you again!"

"The Good Magician told us you would fight the Emperor," she murmured, her head still buried in his robes, "and that you would… you would die." She didn't mention the dream; he wouldn't want to relive THAT experience.

"I did die," Anakin replied. "But imagine my surprise when I found myself in Xanth, not only very much alive again, but whole and free of the armor." He released Jenny, smiling fondly. "The strange thing was that, while it had been almost a year in our galaxy since I left Xanth, only a week had passed here."

"Time runs differently here," Jenny said with a shrug. "I don't understand why that is."

His smile widened. "I missed you, Jenny. You were much more than my Companion when I played the game – you were a friend."

"I missed you too, Lord Va – I mean Anakin. And I'm glad I could be your friend."

Goody Goblin stepped forward and extended a delicate hand. "Welcome to the game, sir. May I ask your name?"

"Anakin Skywalker," he replied, shaking her hand. "I'm originally from the Star Wars world, but I've come to Xanth to stay."

"I see," she noted. "I didn't know they had weredragons in your world."

"No, I'm human," Anakin replied. "I received a talent the last time I was here, though, one that allows me to shape-shift into any flying animal."

Nada, back in human form, whistled appreciatively. "That's a Magician-class talent!"

Before the discussion could go any further, a deep menacing voice, not unlike Vader's before he'd lost the mask, sounded in everyone's mind.

NOW HEAR THIS, thundered Demon Grossclout, head of the game. IT IS TIME FOR THE SELECTION OF THE FALSE COMPANION.

Jenny cringed. She hated this part – where the demons would randomly select a Companion to be False. She had been lucky so far to avoid being selected, but sooner or later she knew her luck was going to run out.

THE SELECTION IS – NOW.

Jenny braced herself, but no signal came to announce her as the False Companion. She relaxed. Someone like Metria or Grundy might enjoy the experience of duping and double-crossing a Player, but she detested the very thought of it.

Anakin's face showed a touch of relief before he swiftly composed himself. So he wasn't the False Companion either. That left the other five, though she wasn't sure which one it would be. No one but Grossclout and the False Companion was to know which of them was the False one.

"Here comes a Player," Marrow announced.

As Grundy stepped forward to introduce the incoming Player to the game, Jenny turned back to Anakin.

"So why are you a Companion?"

"I owe the creators of this game a lot," he replied. "If I had never come to Xanth, I would never have had a chance to bond with my son. The least I could do in repayment was volunteer to replace Metria as a Companion choice."

She nodded. "The game is an exciting experience, even for the Companions. I'm glad you're here. This should be a great adventure."

"If we're chosen," Anakin reminded her. "The Player may very well opt for the centaur or skeleton instead…"

A screen-shaped image appeared at the far edge of the clearing – the form a Player took on until they could take the necessary steps to enter Xanth. Grundy walked up to the screen and waved enthusiastically; the rest of the Companions kept out of the Player's line of sight but still watched curiously.

"Hello, Player!" Grundy greeted. "I'm Grundy Golem from the land of Xanth…"

"Hi Grundy," came the reply. "Thanks, but I've played before. I won't need an overview."

Jenny knew that voice… and that handsome face.

"Luke," breathed Anakin, his eyes suddenly moist.

Luke was playing the game again! Jenny practically bounced up and down with glee. She would get to see Luke again! Even if he didn't choose her as his Companion, she could still meet up with him sometime during the game, couldn't she?

"Okay, since you're a retread," Grundy replied, unfurling a scroll. "Pick a Companion."

"Oh, I already know who I want…" began Luke.

He froze. His eyes fixed on a particular name on the list, and his mouth opened in disbelief. Jenny knew that Anakin's death had been hard on Luke, so to see his father was alive in Xanth must be quite a shock, albeit not a bad one.

"I was going to pick Jenny Elf," he said quietly, "but I've changed my mind. I'd like Anakin Skywalker as my Companion."

Grundy nodded and stepped aside.

"Go on," Jenny urged, gently nudging Anakin forward.

Anakin stepped into Luke's view, smiling despite the tears that glistened on his cheeks. "Hello, Luke," he said in a voice rough with emotion.

"Father," Luke murmured. "How did you…"

Anakin raised his hand to silence Luke. "We will have plenty of time to talk in Xanth. Come on in. You know what to do."

"Right." Luke's image blurred, then stood out in sharp three-dimensional detail as he completed the first step to entering the game – refocusing the eyes. Then the screen vanished, and Luke was standing in the clearing beside his father – the result of the second step, suspending his disbelief in Xanth. Luke was back in Xanth.

Anakin swept Luke up in a loving embrace. "My son…"

"Father," Luke choked, his arms around Anakin. "How did… why are you… I saw you die a year ago… how can you be…"

So a year had passed in the Galaxy Far, Far Away. By now Luke must have accepted his father as dead and moved on, making this all the more surprising for him.

Anakin chuckled slightly before he replied. "Surely you remember what Wara told us – 'sometimes something bad happens to a good person, and instead of dying that person comes to live in Xanth.'"

Luke buried his face in his father's shoulder. "I missed you."

"And I you."

THIS IS ALL VERY TOUCHING, Grossclout thundered in a nauseated tone, BUT THIS MEADOW IS FOR GAME PURPOSES ONLY. IF YOU WANT TO GET ALL MUSHY, DO IT AWAY FROM HERE. YOU'RE MAKING ME SICK.

Jenny smiled, even though there were tears of her own in her eyes. "Go on, you two," she urged. "Have a father-son adventure. And tell me all about it when you get back."

Luke laughed, released his father, and embraced Jenny. "We will, Jenny. We will."

"Have fun!" she called after the two Skywalkers as they left the meadow. "And be careful!"


	2. Boardwalk

**Part II – Boardwalk**

Leia sat down at her computer, feeling alternately frustrated and confused. What in the galaxy was Luke up to this time? She loved her brother, but sometimes his actions were so puzzling. And this latest… this had to be the strangest.

It had been a year since the Battle of Endor. A year since she had learned that Luke was her brother… and Darth Vader her father. Since then, they had only shared that information with a select few – Han, Chewie, Wedge Antilles, Mon Mothma – and all those confidants were sworn to secrecy. If word leaked out that two of the most respected heroes of the Alliance were children of the most hated and feared leader of the Empire, it could shake the trust the galaxy had placed in the New Republic.

It had shaken Leia as well to know that she was the daughter of the very man who had caused her so much pain. The knowledge that her loyal friend was also family had softened the blow, but she was still reeling from that revelation. How could her father be the man she so hated?

But Luke harbored no anger or hatred toward Vader. He had somehow found the strength to forgive the man and accept him as his father. And he was constantly urging Leia to do the same.

"How can I forgive him?" she had argued. "He's a monster, Luke!"

"Darth Vader was a monster," Luke had corrected. "But Anakin Skywalker died to save me from the Emperor. I choose to honor the memory of the latter."

She couldn't understand it. Vader had hurt Luke as much, if not more, than he had hurt Leia. Yet Luke not only no longer hated the man, he had spearheaded a private campaign to encourage those close to him to let go of their own hatred. It was as if learning Vader was his father had completely reversed his feelings toward him.

Maybe Luke's lifelong desire to know his father had been a factor in that change of heart. Or maybe it was his Jedi training, his conditioning to avoid anger and aggression at all costs.

Or maybe it was this odd disk he had given her.

"It's a copy of a computer game," he had explained. "But it's one of the strangest games I've ever seen."

Well, at least that much was true. Though Leia had yet to get past the question-and-answer screen with Grundy the golem, she had to agree that this program was rather… unorthodox.

"I'm not sure exactly how it works," Luke had gone on. "But there's something about the game that helps people come to terms with their personal issues. It helped me cope after Bespin. Maybe it can help you."

That comment had nearly made Leia throw the disk at him. "Do you honestly think I'm so bitter that I need some silly anger-management therapy to get over it?"

Bless her brother for not firing off a scathing retort of his own, though surely he'd had every right to.

"Play the game, Leia," he'd urged with a mysterious smile.

So here she was, sitting in front of her personal computer, trying to work up the nerve to actually begin playing the game.

"You ready out there?" chirped the graphic on the screen, a depiction of a tiny man. "If I stand here much longer my legs are going to cramp up…"

She rolled her eyes. Whoever programmed this game needed some lessons in common courtesy.

I'M READY, she typed. SHOW ME THE COMPANION LIST.

"Gotcha," he barked, pulling up a scroll.

She leaned forward to scan the names – Goody Goblin, Horace Centaur, Marrow Bones, Jenny Elf, Nada Naga, and Ana…

Wait. That last name had abruptly changed. Right before her eyes it shifted from Ana-something to Becca Weredragon. Perhaps the game altered the list at random intervals. Or perhaps this was a networked game, and a player somewhere else had just selected whoever-it-was as their Companion. At any rate, he or she was no longer available for Leia to choose.

She considered a moment, then selected the name of Jenny Elf. Luke had highly recommended her as a Companion choice, describing her as logical, compassionate, and highly optimistic, as well as having a means to locate almost anything.

A petite girl with pointed ears and an orange cat in her arms stepped onto the screen. "Thanks, Grundy," she told the golem. "I'll take it from here."

Grundy sighed and walked offscreen.

"Hello, Player!" Jenny greeted brightly. "I'm Jenny Elf, and this is Sammy." She indicated the cat. "He can find anything except home. May I ask your name?"

LEIA ORGANA.

"Hello, Leia, and welcome to the game." She smiled. "Before we go on, there are a few things we need to do. First of all, you need to refocus your eyes."

Well, this was new. AND HOW DO I DO THAT?

"See those two dots at the top of the screen?" she inquired, pointing up. "They'll become three when you've got the right focus. Refocusing your eyes is important, because it will let us see each other as rounded images instead of flat."

Leia obeyed, locating the dots and letting her eyes slide in and out of focus until the dots separated into three. Instantly the scenery within the game – a dense jungle – stood out in sharp three-dimensional detail.

"That's much better," Jenny told her. "Now for the next step. I know this is going to sound strange, but you need to suspend your disbelief in Xanth."

She blinked, startled. Had she heard that correctly?

"That's the only way you can truly come to appreciate Xanth. But if you can't… well, we can still play and win the game; it just won't be as much fun."

Leia thought about that a moment, then decided what Jenny really meant was that, in order to get the most out of the game, you had to be totally immersed in its storyline. Well, most of that would depend on the game – the quality of the graphics and plot, the level of its challenges, and other factors. She would certainly give the game a chance, though. After all, she'd cleared her schedule for the day to humor Luke and give this strange game a try.

I'LL TRY, she typed. IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE, THOUGH.

"That's just fine," Jenny replied reassuringly. "Don't worry if it doesn't happen immediately. Most first-time Players don't believe right away." She motioned for Leia to follow. "Let's go find the prize."

The images on the screen flowed by, giving the illusion that Leia was truly walking deeper into the jungle with Jenny. She couldn't help but admire the realism of this game. Though she had yet to see how Luke could claim it had therapeutic qualities…

WHERE IS THIS… PRIZE LOCATED?

"No one really knows, except the Good Magician," Jenny replied. "My suggestion is that we find him and ask him to tell us. But it's your choice, of course."

YOUR SUGGESTION'S AS GOOD AS ANY. WHERE DOES THE GOOD MAGICIAN LIVE?

"Most paths in Xanth eventually lead to him. But the game forbids us from using any paths that are enchanted to be safe from danger. We're required to face Xanth's dangers, such as monsters, obstacles, and puzzles."

That made no sense – why would the game designers program paths that were off-limits to Players? Maybe she had to win this round, and that victory would unlock some of the "safe" paths for future use.

WHERE'S THE NEAREST GAME-APPROVED PATH?

She set the cat down. "You heard her, Sammy! Find the nearest game-approved path!"

Sammy bolted, and Jenny ran after him. The screen followed.

WHERE'S THIS XANTH WORLD LOCATED? Leia asked. As long as there was a lag in the action, she might as well learn the back story of the game.

"I'm… not sure," Jenny panted as she ran. "I'm not… native to Xanth… Sammy and I… came here… by accident…"

SO YOU'RE SHIPWRECKED? DID YOUR STAR CRUISER CRASH HERE?

"You can't… get to Xanth… by starship…" Jenny puffed. "Most people… fall in by accident…"

Sammy halted, settled back on his haunches, and set to grooming his chest fur. Before them was a path formed from wooden planks set into the ground. Leia smiled wistfully – boardwalks had been a quaint and charming sight in some of the older sections of Alderaan. Maybe Xanth wasn't so strange after all…

The boards shuddered, then began leapfrogging forward.

"Whoa!" yelped Jenny, backing away. "A boardwalk!"

I KNOW WHAT A BOARDWALK IS. WHY IS IT MOVING?

"Things work differently in Xanth," Jenny explained. "Puns are common here, so a boardwalk actually walks… sort of."

She couldn't help it – she started giggling.

"I know it might seem funny to you," Jenny said as if she could hear Leia's laughter through the screen. "But in Xanth puns are serious business."

SORRY, Leia typed, still chuckling. IT JUST SEEMS SO STRANGE TO ME.

"That's okay," Jenny replied. "I thought it was weird when I first got here. But you get used to it quickly, and once you learn how things work, you can use them to your advantage…"

"Hey!"

Jenny whirled. "Uh-oh."

WHAT IS IT?

"We have company."

Three figures were standing in the clearing with them – humanoid beings with strange items growing from where their necks and heads should be. Although they lacked faces, they still seemed to wear expressions of surprise.

"Get out of here!" snapped the first, who had a chair sprouting from between his shoulders. "This is a private meeting!"

"Calm down, old friend," the second told the chair-man in a placatory tone. "They may be able to help us." This being had what looked like a parcel, complete with mailing address and postage, emerging from his shirt collar.

"What are your names, and what is your business?" asked the third, whose head had been replaced with a white paper carton.

"I'm Jenny Elf, and these are my friends Sammy Cat and Leia Organa," Jenny replied. "I'm leading Leia through a game, and we need to get down this path to see the Good Magician."

"If you haven't noticed, no one's going down this path until we can get it settled down," the chair-man informed them. "Some troublemaking goblins came along and riled up the boardwalk."

"It won't stop walking in place," fretted the mail-man. "Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor hail nor dark of night can keep my people from their appointed rounds, but apparently a skittish boardwalk does the trick."

"We've been having a board meeting to discuss how to keep the boardwalk from moving," the milk-man added. "It's not very thrilling, but you're welcome to join us. We can use all the ideas we can get."

WE'LL JOIN, Leia told him. Evidently this was their first puzzle of the game – to stop the boardwalk from moving so they could progress down the path.

"Sit down on the couch potato," the chair-man offered, gesturing toward a lumpy brown couch-shaped tuber nearby. "Offer any suggestions you may have."

Jenny had a seat, and the milk-man and mail-man sat down on either side of her. The chair-man remained standing, obviously in charge of the meeting.

"Okay, we've already ruled out reverse wood, glue, and ropes," the chair-man said. "Any other ideas?"

"We can try burning the boards and replacing them with new ones," the milk-man suggested. "We have plenty of wood…"

"The boardwalk'll run for it the minute you approach it with fire," the mail-man put in. "Besides, you got an ax?"

"All right, you big square, YOU think of something!" the milk-man retorted.

"You can keep a cobble-stone path in place by playing rock music to soothe it," the mail-man offered. "Perhaps music can calm the boardwalk down…"

"Rocks like rock music, true," the chair-man replied. "And a path made of steel – don't laugh, they're common in Mundania – likes heavy metal. But I've never heard of wood music."

Jenny remained silent. Was she at a loss for ideas? Or was she deferring to her Player? The latter made more sense. After all, it was up to Leia to solve the challenges and win the game; Jenny was just a guide.

WHY DON'T YOU JUST NAIL THE BOARDS DOWN?

"We don't have any nails handy," the milk-man replied.

"Or hammers," the chair-man added.

YOU CAN USE A ROCK TO POUND A NAIL IN, she replied. AS FOR NAILS… She thought a few minutes, then smiled to herself. In this land of puns, perhaps a pun could be the answer. WHAT ABOUT FINGERNAILS?

"Fingernails?" repeated the milk-man, the chair-man, and Jenny.

"Hey," the mail-man mused, "it just might work." He pulled a set of clippers from his pocket and began trimming his fingernails. The instant the clippings fell to the ground, they became long, sharp, ivory-colored spikes.

"Now this should have been obvious," the chair-man muttered as he cut his own nails. "Why didn't we think of this before?"

Jenny winked at Leia before pulling a small knife from her pack to add to the nail pile. Within minutes they had a good-sized pile of fingernails, toenails, and even a hangnail or two.

"Now for the boardwalk," the milk-man said, picking up a nail and a rock and going for the path.

The board nearest the milk-man shuddered as if in fear and tried to bound away, but Sammy pounced on it with all his weight, keeping it still while the milk-man nailed it down. Jenny and the others joined in, some holding the boards down, others fastening them securely to the path. Leia could only watch, though she couldn't help but wonder at the complete absurdity of this game. Fingernails and boardwalks! What a quirky game, even for a fantasy!

At last the boardwalk was secured, and the three men applauded eagerly.

"Thank you, travelers!" the mail-man exclaimed. "We are indebted to you!"

"Won't you stay awhile?" asked the chair-man. "The meeting's adjourned, but we have plenty of refreshments…"

"We're on our way to the Good Magician's castle," Jenny replied. "We're looking for something, and only he can help us find it. Sorry, but we have to go."

"Then safe journey," bade the milk-man. "And good luck facing the Magician's trials."

WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT? asked Leia as they left the three men and continued down the newly repaired path.

"To get into the Good Magician's castle, you have to solve three challenges," Jenny replied. "He knows the answer to any question you can ask, but so many people started coming to him with trivial questions that he started charging people a year of service to receive an answer. People still kept coming and bothering him, so he implemented the challenges. Now only those questions serious enough to merit his attention reach him."

That made sense. AND WE WILL HAVE TO FACE THOSE TRIALS?

"Yup. But we don't have to serve the year of service, since we're playing the game."

I SEE. She thought a moment, trying to put her thoughts into diplomatic terms. IS ALL XANTH THIS… UNIQUE?

"You mean 'strange?'" asked Jenny, smiling. "You can say it. No, not all of it's this strange."

That was some relief. At least future challenges would prove to be a little less bewildering…

"Much of it is a lot more bizarre, especially further south where the Good Magician lives," Jenny went on, oblivious to Leia's sigh of relief. "What we just saw was actually pretty tame compared to the rest of Xanth."

OH, she typed, suddenly very unsure about all this.

"Don't worry," Jenny said reassuringly. "I'll explain everything for you. Yes, Xanth's a little mind-boggling to the uninitiated, but at least you'll have a guide to show you the way."

That made her feel somewhat better. But she did feel a twinge of sympathy for Jenny – falling into this screwball world by accident, guideless, having to learn this world's quirks and dangers by trial and error… it was a wonder her optimism survived the ordeal intact.

She caught herself. Why was she assigning emotions and personality to a computer program? This game was certainly addictive – it was already drawing her into the plights of its characters.

Shaking her head, she ordered Jenny onward. She'd continue to play, of only to find out just what method lurked behind this game's madness.


	3. Alto

**Part III – Alto**

Once Luke and Anakin had left the Companion's meadow, Luke began plying his father with questions. "How did you get here? How did you get yourself a part in the game?"

Anakin smiled. "I don't know how I ended up in Xanth, my son, any more than I know how this strange land works. But I am infinitely glad to be here. It is truly a wondrous place." He motioned for Luke to accompany him down a game-approved path. "As for how I ended up in the game, I volunteered. I felt I owed something to the game for allowing me to be reunited with my wife and son."

Luke felt a rush of warmth. He was seeing his father again! Almost a year after his "death," he was seeing Anakin, talking to him, basking in his presence. Even if it was only temporary, even if once he'd finished the game he would have to leave Xanth, it was worth any price.

"How's Mother doing?"

"She's doing very well," Anakin replied. "I sought her out after my arrival, and we built ourselves a small but comfortable home on the edge of the village of Imp Ire."

"Expecting a delivery from the stork anytime soon?" Luke asked mischeviously.

Anakin good-naturedly punched his arm. "Get your head out of the gutter, Luke. No, we've decided that for now, two children are enough. We hope that someday our family will be reunited in Xanth."

Luke pondered that for a moment. "Does everyone who dies in Mundania or our world come to Xanth?"

"I don't believe so, or this world would be very crowded indeed. I'm not sure why some people make it here and others don't. That may be a question for the Good Magician."

Luke smiled. "I may have to ask him someday."

"How is Leia?" Anakin inquired.

"She's… fine," Luke replied. "She and Han are finally engaged."

Anakin's expression became forlorn. "She still hates me, doesn't she? Not that I think she has no right to…"

Luke put an arm around his father's shoulders. "Father, we both know you made a lot of mistakes. But you're not Darth Vader anymore. You're Anakin Skywalker. Leia hates Vader, but she doesn't know Anakin. I hope that, someday, she can get to know you and differentiate between the two."

"You speak as if I have a twin somewhere," Anakin said, lightening a little.

Luke laughed. "Maybe you do." He dropped his arm. "Um… I know we're technically supposed to be playing a game, but can we take a detour to Imp Ire? I'd really like to see Mom again."

Anakin chuckled. "Of course we can. There is no penalty for delaying the game." He spread his arms, the hanging folds of his robes making them resemble wings. "Shall we take the air route?"

"Hey, we're not Skywalkers for nothing," Luke replied.

Anakin laughed, a laugh that quickly morphed into a low growl as he transformed into a dragon in the blink of an eye. Luke climbed aboard the massive neck and held on tightly as his father stroked the air with his wings, crouched, and leaped skyward. The world rocked wildly around him for a second, then dropped away as they gained altitude.

Luke whooped exultantly, throwing his head back and his arms into the air, relishing the wind in his face and hair. Stang, it had been so long since he'd done some recreational flying! Not for a moment did he regret his position as head of the New Jedi Order, but his responsibilities as the only living Jedi Master weighed him down. He hadn't had an opportunity to enjoy himself in so long!

_/There's something I must tell you, Luke/ _came Anakin's voice into his mind, seeing as he really couldn't speak in his dragon form. _/Something regarding the game./_

"What's that?"

_/The last time we came to Xanth, our Companions neglected to mention that it is impossible to die in the game./_

"What? You can't die in Xanth?"

_/It is quite possible to die in Xanth – unless you're involved in the game. If a Player suffers something in the course of the game that would otherwise result in his death, he is simply sent back to wherever he came from, be it Mundania or our world. If the same thing happens to a Companion, he or she goes back to the start of the game./_

"So back when we first played, when I almost drowned and you got hit by an arrow… we were in no danger?"

_/No danger of actual death. But we would have been ejected from the game, and we would have had to start over./_

"But why didn't Jenny or Metria ever tell us?"

_/Good Magician's orders. Remember, a wager between the World Demons rode on our quest. If we had quit the game or exited by "death," the wager would have been settled by other, less competent beings. By letting us believe our deaths in the game would mean our deaths in our world, he was encouraging us to be cautious and complete the game./_

Luke shook his head. "Are we sure the Good Magician isn't just Master Kenobi in disguise?"

Anakin gave a barking roar that mimicked a human laugh. _/Believe me, that old gnome has been around longer than Obi-wan was alive./_

A sense of danger suddenly prompted Luke to glance over his shoulder.

"Father, look out!"

Anakin swerved sharply in midair, and a huge boulder whizzed past, missing his left wing by centimeters. That rock was followed by another, then another.

"What's going on?" demanded Luke. Last time he'd been in Xanth he'd seen plenty of strange things, but not flying rocks.

_/I'm not sure, but it looks like we have company/ _Anakin replied, lurching to a hovering halt to dodge another flurry of stones.

Luke looked up – and burst out laughing. A formation of TIE Interceptors, each so small no one much taller than Master Yoda would be able to fit inside, was gliding toward them like a swarm of gnats. A flying stone arced toward the fighters, but a blast of emerald fire shattered the projectile, turning it to relatively harmless fragments that rattled against their plating.

_/The Starfleet of Imp Ire/ _Anakin told him. _/Though why they're patrolling this far outside their territory is beyond me./_

"Dragon and rider!" An amplified voice echoed through the air. "This is Sergeant Imp Ressive of the Army of Imp Ire! Turn back now, or you WILL be shot down!"

_/Whoa/ _thought Luke. The imps hadn't been this blatantly unfriendly to him before. What had happened to sour their relationship with him?

_/They don't recognize you/ _Anakin replied. _/Besides, dragons are seen in Xanth as dangerous predators. If you're able to control one, they must assume you're a threat./_

"Don't they know you?"

_/Yes, they accept Padme and I as part of their village. But they do not know of my shape-shifting powers yet. I see it was a mistake to hide it from them./_

"Dragon and rider, I repeat – turn back NOW or you WILL be shot down!" Ressive ordered.

At that moment, a rock hurtled toward the formation, which broke apart hurriedly to avoid a collision. One ship wasn't fast enough – the boulder shattered its port stabilizer. The Interceptor spiraled helplessly toward the jungle below.

"Father, DIVE!" ordered Luke.

Anakin obeyed, folding his wings and plummeting after the crippled fighter. Before it could smash to pieces in the trees below, he snatched it in his claws. Instantly the other TIEs regrouped to surround them, fully prepared to blast Anakin out of the sky.

"Sithspawn," said Luke, his curse coloring the air briefly. "Father, see if you can't open the fighter hatch with your claws…"

Anakin opened the TIE through the simple expedient of chewing the top off.

"Or you can do that, if you want," Luke finished with an amused smile.

The imp pilot's head and upper body emerged from the fighter, clutching a blast-it in one hand.

"Don't shoot!" Luke told him. "We're friendly."

The imp stared at him for half a second, then spoke into his comm unit. "Hold fire! All units hold fire! It's the Walker of the Sky!"

The ships broke apart, reforming a conventional formation, and Ressive spoke again via loudspeaker.

"Our apologies, Walker of the Sky," he said regretfully. "But when we spotted the dragon, we thought you were part of another goblin plot."

"Understood and forgiven," Luke replied. The imps regarded Luke as a hero, if not a legend, seeing as last time he'd played the game he'd rid their village of a dangerous forget-whorl and helped drive off a pack of vicious harpies. He wasn't too fond of the title they'd given him, but since it did no harm, he could live with it.

"Our squadron is seeking out the cat-apult the goblins are using to besiege Imp Ire," explained Ressive. "We've located it but can't get close enough to destroy it."

"Maybe I can help," Luke replied.

"We'd appreciate it greatly," Ressive replied. "Lieutenant Imp Act will show you the way."

The imp they'd rescued clambered up Anakin's foreleg and clung to Luke's shoulder, pointing ahead and to the right. "Past that bluff, between two groves of chest-nut trees. Watch for flying rocks."

No sooner were the words out of Act's mouth than a skyborne avalanche arced over the top of the bluff and hurtled toward them. Anakin executed a tight turn to avoid the projectiles – only to propel himself full-force into the face of the bluff…

And pass through effortlessly.

"What the…" gaped Luke once they were on the other side.

"It was a bluff," Act told him. "All show, no substance. You can penetrate any bluff just by calling its bluff like that."

Anakin gave a draconine laugh as Luke smacked his forehead, wondering why he didn't catch the pun earlier.

Between two copses of trees crouched the biggest cat Luke had ever seen. Larger than a reek and built like a sand panther, it had a large scoop attached to the tip of its tail. As the three of them watched, several burly goblins loaded stones into the scoop, and with a flick of its tail the cat-apult launched them into the air.

"Luckily, most of our buildings are reinforced," Act noted. "But it's become dangerous to go outside. We can't gather food, send out scout parties, or even let our children outside to play without fear of being squashed."

"Well, it's time we taught this kitty a lesson," Luke decided. "Father, let's cruise closer to the ground. Maybe we'll find something useful."

Anakin dropped lower, adjusting his speed to a slow glide. Luke and Act scanned the forest floor, seeking something to combat this menace.

"What's that?" Luke asked, pointing to a patch of greenery. Every plant there had two leaves, which were placed close together to resemble a beak-like mouth reminiscent of a carnivorous plant.

"That's cat nip," Act replied. "Bites horribly. But cat-based species like griffons, sphinxes, and kitty hawks love it and will rub their faces in it, roll in it, and play with it, even though it bites them as much as any other creature."

Struck by a burst of inspiration, Luke extended an arm in a gesture to focus the Force. A great clump of cat nip was yanked up by the roots, and the clump hurtled toward them. Luke grabbed his pack (he'd come prepared for the game this time) and held it open, catching the plants inside. The cat nip squirmed and struggled like a nest of gundarks as he fought to close the bag.

Satisfied that Luke had found the answer, Anakin began to ascend. But his tail struck the branches of a nearby tree, which began barking and snarling in irritation.

"Dogwood!" Luke realized. "Father, grab that too! Can't be too prepared!"

Anakin clasped the tree in his claws and uprooted it with a great heave. Still clutching the tree, he ascended to seek out the cat-apult again.

The goblins were readying the cat-apult for another round of fire when they sailed overhead. Laughing and shrieking, the goblins pointed eagerly at Anakin.

"Shoot the dragon down! There'll be fresh meat tonight!"

_/I think not/ _Anakin snarled. _/Now, Luke/_

"Now!" Luke shouted, dumping the cat nip plants out. They fell upon the cat-apult like a green snowfall, immediately latching onto the beast with their horrid leaf-beaks. The cat-apult gave a horrific shriek of pain, then began purring and rubbing its face in the plants even as they snapped mercilessly at its nose and the pads of its paws.

An instant later, Anakin released the dogwood tree. It hit the forest floor and smashed to pieces. Each piece, remarkably enough, was shaped like some sort of canine, ranging in size from as small as Luke's hand to as big as an Endor pony. Immediately the wooden dogs took off after the cat-apult, baying with glee, harrying the huge cat like snub fighters harassing a Stardestroyer. The by-now-thoroughly-confused feline bolted, hissing and yowling and purring all at the same time. The goblins raised their fists to the sky and cursed long and loud.

"You did it!" cheered Act, pumping the air with a fist. "You drove away the cat-apult!"

Sergeant Ressive and his squadron flew through the bluff to join Luke and Anakin. "Thank you again, Walker of the Sky," the imp officer said gratefully. "Come back to Imp Ire with us. We're going to have a celebration, and I have a feeling you and your dragon will be the guests of honor."

"I was already planning on a visit," Luke replied. "Let's go."

_Break…_

Even the best in the galaxy could slip in their diligence.

Boba Fett turned in place to inspect the clearing he'd awakened in, puzzled. Why in the galaxy was he in the middle of a Force-forsaken jungle when, as far as he could recall, he'd last been in a cantina on Ord Mantell collecting payment from the planet governor for hunting down his runaway daughter and her low-life boyfriend?

He cursed himself loudly. Why had he accepted the governor's offer to have a drink? No doubt the politician had drugged the beverage, then had his unconscious body dumped on some backwater world…

_/Don't be an idiot/ _he told himself. _/If he'd really wanted to be rid of you, he would have poisoned you or bombed your ship, not stranded you here and taken the chance of you surviving and making your way back to civilization. Besides, you had a LOT more than just that one drink in you, remember/_

He swore again, kicking the moss-furred earth beneath his feet. Stang it all! He almost never allowed himself to become intoxicated. Why had he let himself do so last night? How could he have been so Sith-spawned stupid!

Smoke burned his nostrils, and he whirled to see the tree behind him smoldering ominously. Startled, he cursed again, and as if in reaction to his words the tree burst into flames. Fett backed away, blaster out. What was going on here?

He backtracked mentally as well, trying to pinpoint just what had gone on last night to lead to this. He'd collected the bounty, the governor had bought him a drink, that one drink had turned to half a dozen, another stone-drunk cantina patron had called him to his table to show him "the sweetest computer game this side of the Core…"

That was where things got fuzzy. He could recall accepting the kid's offer to play the game, and there was an incredibly blurred memory of finding himself in a meadow full of sideshow freaks, who he'd belligerently told to get lost. His brow furrowed. Was that last memory a vague recollection of the game, or had it taken place here?

Something squawked close by, and he turned to see an unusual bird watching him from a nearby tree. A scarlet bird with a black patch like a mask over its eyes, it wore an ornate white robe and a tall hat patterned with a crucifix. Upon seeing him, the bird bobbed its head and murmured what sounded strangely like a prayer.

_/Hmph. Odd creature. Must be someone's escaped pet./_

"It's a cardinal," someone piped up behind him.

Fett whirled and fired, and the cardinal flew off with a shriek. The speaker, meanwhile, stared at Fett with an irritated expression, the tree just behind her smoking from the close miss.

"What was that for?" she demanded.

Fett just stared at this woman, who looked just as strange, if not stranger, than the cardinal. Thin without being supermodel-skinny, she wore a turquoise reptile-skin cape, high-heeled knee-high boots of red leather, a black ankle-length skirt slit clear up to mid-thigh, a neon orange sleeveless shirt with forest-green polka-dots, and cat-eye spectacles with rhinestone-studded frames. Her frizzy orange-red hair had been pulled up in a librarian-style knot and held there with a couple of pencils, and her full lips and the skin around her piercing gray-green eyes had been painted identical shades of royal purple.

It took several seconds for him to fully take in this bizarre sight and formulate a reply. "Don't sneak up on me again," he snarled.

"I'll do it if I like, honey," she informed him, lowering her glasses and giving him a superior look.

"Lady, don't you fear what I could do to you?" he demanded. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Not much scares me, dearie," she replied with a mysterious smile. "As for the second question – no, who are you?"

"Boba Fett, the most legendary bounty hunter in the galaxy," he rasped. Normally he didn't flaunt his unofficial title, but obviously this woman needed her memory refreshed. Who hadn't heard of Boba Fett?

"Glad to meet you, Boba Fett," she replied, extending a hand – a hand with long, maroon-painted nails. "I'm Sorceress Alto."

"I don't believe in sorcerers or sorceresses," Fett declared, ignoring the hand.

"That's okay," she replied cheerily, dropping her arm to her side. "I don't believe in bounty hunters, so we're even."

He stared at her again. "How can you not believe in bounty hunters when there's one standing right before you?"

"How can YOU not believe in sorceresses when there's one standing right before you?"

He shut his mouth, fuming. Bested by a crazy woman!

"So what's a strange man like you doing here?" she inquired.

SHE was calling HIM strange? "I have no idea. I don't even know where 'here' is."

"Ah, you must be Mundanian!" she exclaimed with an eager smile. "Well, I'll be happy to educate you, Mr. Fett. First off, welcome to Xanth!"

"Xanth?"

"That's what I said, sweetheart."

"There's no such thing as a world called Xanth!"

"Sure there is, muffin, and you're standing on it."

Fett snarled and turned to go. "I don't have time for this. I have to find a spaceport…"

"I see, you're not from Mundania. You're from the Galaxy Far, Far Away. Sorry, but there ain't no spaceports on Xanth, pal. I'd suggest you come back… and don't step in the water…"

He ignored her, going straight to the creek that bordered the meadow on one side and wading in up to his waist. Instantly jolts of agony flashed up his legs, and he bit back a cry of pain.

"I tried to warn you!" she called. "That's a cripple creek! Better get out of there fast, pal."

Easier said than done. Every step brought further torture, as if there were an electric current running through the water. By the time he stumbled back to the shore, he couldn't even stand. With a groan he collapsed on the bank.

A throaty snarl brought him to his senses, and he looked up. A scaly muzzle hovered a hand's breadth away, fangs bared, slobber dripping from its chin, smoke curling from its nostrils. Fett reached for his blaster, cursing his lame legs.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Alto. "You've just met Diggory Dragon, my associate, and good gracious, I think he's going to eat you! Diggory, get back!"

The dragon ignored her. Fett fired once, but strangely enough the bolt changed trajectory, circling around Diggory and going for Alto. She shrieked and ducked, the bolt smashing into another tree.

"You idiot, put it away!" she barked. "That's a blast-her! It only works on females!"

"What!" bellowed Fett.

"Oh, I'll explain in a minute," she grumbled, and she placed a hand on Diggory's flank, singing gently. The dragon blinked yellow eyes, then stopped snarling and curled up on the spot. Within minutes the great beast was asleep. Satisfied that the dragon was no more danger, Alto patted his nose and went to Fett, dragging him into the center of the clearing.

"Now," she told him, "you have questions, cupcake, and I have answers. But it's no fair if you're the only one who gets to ask the questions, so for every question you ask me, I get to ask you one. How's that sound?"

"I suppose I don't have much choice, do I?" he growled.

"Oh, cheer up, grouchy-mask," she said in a babyish voice, pretending to pinch his cheek through the mask. "Okay, you get the first question, Mr. Fett. Ask me anything."

He struggled to a sitting-up position. "How long do the cripple-creek's affects last?"

"Oh, several hours, unless you happen to find a healing spring," she replied easily. "But seeing as you have a long way to go, pumpkin, I'd better rig something for you." She strolled over to the nearest tree and broke off two thick but flexible branches.

"What do you mean I have a long way to go?" demanded Fett.

"Ah-ah-ah, I get to ask the next question," she chided, stripping the leaves from the branches. "My question – how did you get to Xanth when you're miles from the gateway?"

He shook his head. "I don't know a thing about a gateway, Miss Alto. The last thing I remember is something about a computer game…"

"Ah-HA!" she exclaimed. "'The Companions of Xanth!' THAT game! It's a means for people outside Xanth to visit every so often!"

He smacked his helmet. The intro was coming back now! That strange golem creature had explained the means for him to enter the game – by suspending his disbelief. And being drunk, he'd been willing to believe anything. Unfortunately, the intro had also explained that he would need a Companion to aid him in his progress, and he'd chased off his Companion – whoever he, she, or it had been – while he'd been inebriated. Now he was stuck!

"Your turn, pal," she told him, bending down and strapping the sticks to his legs.

"How am I supposed to get out of this insane game?" he snarled.

"I honestly don't know," she replied. "Only Companions know that, and you seem to have lost yours. The only other ways out are to die – which isn't pleasant, though it'll take you right back to where you left off in your world – or to win the game. And to win the game, you have to find a prize. And to find the prize, you need to ask the Good Magician."

"Who's the Good Magician?"

"Hey, it's my turn, bub!" she snapped. "My question – what's with the mask? Why not take it off and enjoy some fresh air…"

"None of your business," he snapped. "My turn for a question – where does this Good Magician live?"

"South of the Gap, past Com Pewter's cave… ah, I'll get you a map, cowboy!" She stood. "There. How do they feel?"

He looked down. Alto had made some sort of makeshift braces for his legs. He gingerly got to his feet. Though his legs still hurt, the braces seemed to take most of the weight for him. And when he took a step, the braces did most of the moving for him.

"They'll do," Fett told her.

"Excellent. Walking-sticks always do the trick for someone who's stepped in a cripple creek. Now, my question…"

"You already asked it. You specifically asked me how the walking-sticks felt."

She rolled her eyes. "All right, Mr. Smartypants, ask your question."

"Xanth is obviously an alternate world of some sort," he said. "Can you explain its nature?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"You didn't ask me to explain it, sweetie-pie. You just asked me if I could."

He raised his blaster again.

"All right, all right," she huffed. "Xanth's a land where magic is the rule. For example, people who are born here or do special favors for the demons get magic talents – mine is being able to control animals by singing to them. Like this." She belted out an enthusiastic opera score, and the dragon perked up and went through an entire repertoire of tricks – play dead, roll over, beg, dance, sit, and blow fire through his nostrils.

"Impressive," Fett admitted.

"Another thing Xanth's famous for is puns – the walking-sticks and cripple creek, for example. And your blast-her as well."

Fett studied the gun. It didn't appear to have changed. But then, if magic was the rule here…

"And now my final question," Alto concluded, handing him a folded map. "How do you plan on getting out of here?"

"The game?"

"No, my meadow."

He holstered his gun. "I was planning on taking the path…" He gestured toward a path he now saw leading away from the clearing.

She made a sound like a buzzer going off. "Sorry, wrong answer."

"You can't keep me here…"

She whistled a little tune, and Diggory Dragon snarled. Fett started to draw his gun, remembered at the last second, and raised his fist to activate the flechete thrower.

"I wouldn't advise that, sweets," she told him. "Dragons are tough to fight. Now, I've done a lot for you – explained Xanth to you, gave you a map, fixed your legs after you stupidly went for a swim in the cripple creek… the least you can do is repay me."

"All right," he snarled. "What do I do to repay you?"

She clapped eagerly like a little girl. "We play riddles!" she squealed. "And I keep asking you more and more riddles until you finally get one right and THEN you can leave!"

Riddles! He groaned aloud. He hated word games. He saw no point in them. Puns annoyed him to no end as well, but if he had to put up with them to win the game and escape Xanth, he would. But if Alto expected him to submit to this lunacy just so she could be entertained…

"Or I suppose you can fight Diggory to get out, hotshot," she suggested.

The dragon jetted flame from its mouth.

Fett sized up the dragon and weighed his chances of surviving a battle with the dragon intact. He didn't particularly like the odds. "Fine, ask the stupid riddle."

She whooped enthusiastically. "All right, here's the first one. Listen carefully." And she began chanting a poem:

"If all the world were apple pie

And all the seas were ink

And all the trees were bread and cheese

What would we have to drink?"

He glared at her. "That's not a riddle, that's a stupid children's rhyme!"

"It's a riddle all the same," she told him, tapping her maroon nails together. "But let me ask a simpler one, then. What's the sound of one hand clapping?"

He growled. "I don't have time for this…"

"C'mon, the answer for it's the same as the first riddle!"

With a snarl of exasperation he stalked to the edge of the clearing and began whacking his head against the trunk of a tree.

"Oh-ho, he's been driven to the insani-tree already," she giggled. "Okay, okay, an easier one then, though I don't know why you aren't getting these, teddy-bear. Just because no one else ever has… okay, what's the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything! C'mon, this should be easy…"

Fett reared his head back for another whack, but something drifting down from the branches of the tree caught his eye. A bit of fluff the size of his fist, it didn't appear to be significant in the least. But Fett hadn't survived among the dregs of society this long by dismissing insignificant-looking details. He opened his hand, and the glob of matter landed in his palm.

_/Forty-two./_

He shook his head. It was as if something had spoken to him… had it come from whatever this thing was?

_/The answer is forty-two./_

"I'm waiting," Alto informed him.

He turned to face her, concealing the object in his fist. "I have an answer to your riddles."

She grinned. "Conking your noggin jolted an answer loose, eh?" She cocked her head expectantly.

"The answer is forty-two."

Her mouth dropped open. "I don't believe it! No one's ever gotten my riddles before!" Her eyes narrowed. "How'd you find the answer?"

"Sheer luck. Now will you allow me to leave?"

"Fine, you can go. You solved the challenge anyhow."

"Challenge?"

"I was one of your game challenges, honey-buns. Well, one of THE game challenges, anyway. There are two other Players, and one of them ended up doing his first challenge at Imp Ire, the other one at the boardwalk. You were just lucky enough to get me."

"Lucky," he snarled sarcastically.

"Lucky indeed," she replied. "Not many people figure out how to use the Germ of an Idea like the one you found. That's right, don't try to hide it from me."

He opened his hand. "This is the Germ of an Idea?"

"Yeah, keep it around. It could come in handy." She smiled mischievously. "NOW do you believe in sorceresses, flyboy?"

He shrugged. "I suppose I do. Now do YOU believe in bounty hunters?"

Alto shook her head. "Nope." She laughed. "Good luck on your journey, hot stuff."

He couldn't get out of that clearing fast enough. However he'd ended up in this ridiculous land, he had to get out fast – before he was truly driven to insanity.


	4. Reunions

**Part IV – Reunions**

Padme was waiting for Luke and Anakin in the main square of the village of Imp Ire, and the moment the dragon had landed and Luke had dismounted she ran forward to embrace her son.

"Welcome back, Luke," she told him. "It's so good to see the young man you've become."

"It's good to see you, Mom," Luke replied.

Anakin resumed his human form, then strode over and took both of them in his arms. "We're a family again," he breathed.

"Almost," Luke corrected. "Leia."

"Leia," Padme said wistfully. "How is she? Anakin told me she was a leader in the Rebellion."

"She's fine," Luke replied. "I gave her a copy of the game. I thought it might be able to help her deal with her anger – after all, playing the first time helped me deal with mine." He winked.

"Your sister can be stubborn – and she comes by it rightly," Anakin told him. "It will take a very long time for her to let go of her anger, regardless of what world she's in."

A diminutive door opened, and a tiny green head poked out, staring at the three humans with wide anxious eyes.

"Is it safe?" the imp asked.

"The cat-apult's gone," Padme assured him. "It's safe to come outside." To Anakin she said "I explained that you could change shape while you were gone. That way they wouldn't panic and shoot when you landed in your dragon form."

"I appreciate that," Anakin smiled.

Every door in the village opened at once, and imps came swarming over to surround the three of them, cheering wildly. Parents carried their children on their shoulders that they might better see the heroes of Imp Ire, and many citizens climbed up trees or atop buildings to get a better look. The entire populace of the village seemed to be present to celebrate the Walker of the Sky's victory over their goblin foes. Luke was sure that the only thing preventing them from carrying him away on their shoulders was their size.

At last the Imp-eror stepped forward to greet Luke.

"The Walker of the Sky has returned," he said with a smile. "Your parents speak quite highly of you."

Luke blushed, and Anakin clapped his shoulder warmly.

"We are grateful for your return," the monarch went on, "and further indebted to you for rescuing Lieutenant Imp Act and ridding us of the menace of the cat-apult."

"You don't owe me anything," Luke replied. "You gave me more than enough last time."

"You would be doing us a great disservice by not allowing us to repay you for your deeds," he insisted. He motioned sharply to one of his red-robed guards, and the imp bowed and hurried off.

Luke offered the monarch a bow of his own. "A year ago, I faced the Emperor of our galaxy. He was a horrible tyrant and kept the entire galaxy in fear. It's amazing to see the differences between his Empire and your Imp Ire, even if they appear similar."

"Your father told us much about your world's Empire," the Imp-eror replied with a scowl. "If we must share similarities with your former government, then I'm thankful those similarities we do share are of a superficial nature."

The guard returned, bearing a sword almost as long as he was. He offered it to Luke hilt-first.

"Silversword plants are extremely rare, both here and in Mundania," the Imp-eror explained. "They grow only in volcanic soil, I suppose so the heat can temper the blades they produce. The plants bloom once, produce a sword if they grow in Xanth, and then die. We harvested a few swords on our last expedition to the Region of Earth, and as a token of our gratitude, we give one to you. May it aid you in your quest."

Luke was a bit skeptical – after all, he had a lightsaber, so why did he need a sword? – but he accepted the weapon anyhow. "Thank you, your Highness."

The Imp-eror laughed. "And now, let us celebrate the Walker of the Sky's victory!"

A great cheer went up all around, and the imps broke out into dancing and singing. Lieutenant Act pulled out a set of pipes and struck up a tune, and Anakin took Padme in his arms and swept her away for a dance, being careful to avoid trampling the imps. Luke, having no dance partner, simply clapped in time to the music.

"What's the matter, hot stuff?" an oddly familiar voice demanded. "Too proper to dance?"

He whirled. "Who the… Metria?"

The demoness flashed him a smile, her red dress and black hair as disheveled as ever, a challenging look in her eyes.

"Metria!" He stepped into the trees, mostly ignored by the reveling imps. "Boy, I never thought I'd be so happy to see you again."

She put her hands to his cheeks and planted a steamy kiss on his lips. "Who said I was Metria?"

He pulled away, confused. "You aren't Metria?"

"Metria got married, received a soul, and fell in love, in that order," she replied. "She and her husband now summon the stork umpteen times a day, but so far the stork hasn't gotten the hint." She rolled her eyes, and in the process they fell from their sockets and rolled around on the ground for a few seconds before flying back to their proper places. "I'm her worse self."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Demons aren't meant to have souls!" she humphed. "I tried and I tried, but I couldn't get it through her head, and now look what's happened! She's married, the fun's over, and I got so fed up with Metria being a goody-two-shoes now that I split up with her."

"You… excuse me?"

"Split up. It happens. If a demon gets a soul, but part of the demon still wants to be his or her same soulless self, that part fissions off. Essentially, I got Metria's personality before she got the soul, but minus the speech thing."

It took Luke a few minutes to think that through, but in the end he finally got it. He couldn't think of this creature as Metria, but more of a long-lost twin sister… no, more of a clone. "It's a shame. Metria's speech impediment was part of her charm."

"Oh bother," she sniffed. "Well, I suppose if you want me to have Metria's imperative…"

"Impediment?"

"Whatever."

Luke smiled. "So what do I call you?"

"Mentia. Demoness Mentia."

"Pleased to meet you, Demoness Mentia."

"Pleasure's all mine, handsome," she purred, becoming a cat for a split second. "So, you up for a little… fun? We can sneak off…"

"No thanks." Well, at least that hadn't changed. "Come join the party?"

"Luke, who are you talking to?" Anakin inquired, coming over to investigate. "Who's this?"

"This is Demoness Mentia," Luke introduced. "She's… how do I put this…"

"I'm Metria's worse half," she explained. "Metria got a soul, so all her soulless qualities fissioned off of her in the form of me."

Anakin groaned. Evidently he'd hoped he wouldn't have to deal with the demoness this time around.

"Who is he?" Mentia demanded, nodding at Anakin.

"Anakin Skywalker. He's my father."

"What! I thought Darth Vader was your father! At least that's what Metria told me!"

"Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader," Luke explained. "But he's not anymore."

"Ah, so the same thing happened to him that happened to Metria and I," she noted. "His better half fissioned off instead of his worse half."

"No, that's not it…" Luke protested.

"It is, in a sense," Anakin replied. "Darth Vader and I parted and took separate paths. Vader died aboard the second Death Star, while I came to Xanth to continue life."

She raised her eyebrows. "Interesting. Didn't think it was possible for that to happen to mortals." To Luke she said, "So whatcha doing back in Xanth, flyboy?"

"Playing the game again. My father's my Companion this time around."

"Oh, pooh," she grumbled. "I should've been a Companion choice. Then we could have had some demonly fun together…"

"Not with my son, you don't," Anakin said sternly. Apparently that hadn't changed either.

"Oh, come on! Your son could use a girl in his life. Besides, if I hang around, I could be useful to your group…"

"Let her stay, Father," Luke requested. "Remember what good Metria was able to do last time."

Anakin sighed. "I'm a Companion, Luke. I'm required to let you make the decisions. I can't stop you from letting Mentia tag along, but I don't like it at all."

"Oh, you're just jealous," Mentia said with a sly wink.

_Break…_

Hours later, Luke, Anakin, and Metria said their goodbyes and set back out on the path. Padme hadn't been very thrilled to hear that a demoness would be accompanying her husband and son on their journey, but she had agreed with Luke that she might come in handy on their journey.

"Wow, those imps sure know how to throw a party," Luke noted, combing his fingers through his hair to rid it of stray pieces of confetti and flowers.

"They're good people," Anakin replied.

"Pretty tame, if you ask me," Mentia grumbled. "Demons throw wilder bashes."

Luke pulled the sword from his belt and gave it a few test swings. He'd expected the weapon to be clumsier and heavier than a lightsaber, but surprisingly it handled quite well. It felt almost weightless in his hands – except when he'd slashed at the handy target of a rotten tree stump, at which point it struck the wood with a great deal of weight.

"If the silversword plant is magic, it makes sense that the sword it produces is enchanted as well," Anakin observed.

"This world never ceases to amaze me," Luke marveled. "So where to next?"

"If you seek to win the game, then the Good Magician's castle would be the next stop," Anakin replied. "However, I highly doubt we'll get there by nightfall."

"Then let's set up camp," Luke suggested.

"Very well." He motioned ahead. "There should be a game campsite ahead."

Anakin had been correct, and within a few minutes they had set up tents and started a fire. Luke found a pie tree growing nearby, and he harvested a few meat pies and set then near the fire to reheat. Mentia, predictably, got out of work by announcing that she was going to scout the area for monsters and vanishing.

"She's probably looking for a new conquest," Anakin said resignedly. "Seeing as she hasn't been able to seduce you yet."

"I liked Metria," Luke countered. "Just not in THAT way."

"Mentia's not Metria, Luke."

"I know." He sat down next to his father and stared into the flames. "But I missed this place a lot. And having Mentia around… it reminds me of her. She was a friend."

Anakin placed an arm around Luke. "Sometimes, when there is a void in our lives, we seek out a substitute and latch onto that. But the substitute can never fully fill the void."

Luke turned to stare at his father. He was hinting at something, he knew, and not just at the Metria/Mentia dilemma. He was speaking about his past.

"Tell me, Father."

Anakin's eyes took on a faraway look. "I had no father, Luke."

"Did he die? Or did he leave you and your mother?"

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't that. I actually had no father. I was born of the Force."

Luke felt his jaw drop.

"I was the Chosen One, one prophesied to bring balance to the Force by doing away with the Sith. Remember what Chang was told by the Good Magician, that he had to seek out the Chosen One? It was I he was supposed to seek."

Things suddenly clicked into place. Chang Centaur had sought his heart's desire, and he had been told to find the Chosen One and was subsequently assigned to aid Luke and Vader in their quest. Then Wara Werecorn had joined their party, having fallen in love with Luke through a mishap at a love spring, and Chang had fallen in love with the unicorn girl. It had seemed an irresolvable problem… until Wara had blundered into a forget-whorl and lost her memory.

"You helped Wara regain her memory," Luke realized. "But you didn't mention the love spring. You helped Chang find his heart's desire by getting rid of the affect of the love spring so she could reciprocate Chang's love."

Anakin nodded. "It was quite unintentional, but it worked out. The Good Magician truly does know everything. But we're getting off the subject."

"Sorry."

"Don't be." He picked up his pie and broke it open to let the contents cool slightly. "All my life I wanted a father – someone tangible, living, someone to turn to in my rough times, someone to be a guide and a mentor. When I was a boy, a Jedi Master named Qui-gon Jinn came to Tatooine, where my mother and I lived, and I 'adopted' him as a father figure. But he died shortly after I came to know him, slain by an apprentice to Palpatine.

"Obi-wan promised the dying Master he would train me, and for a time I saw him as the closest thing I could have to a father. But Obi-wan seemed to keep me at a distance, preferring our relationship be that of teacher and student than of father and son. Besides, the Jedi Order forbade love, and family was something relatively unknown to them. So I turned to another source for a father figure… Palpatine."

Luke stared, intent on his father's words.

"He alone seemed to sympathize with me. He alone seemed to care about my feelings. He offered me guidance and advice, and over time I came to trust him more than I could trust any of the Jedi… even my Master. In the end, when I feared for your mother's life, it was Palpatine who promised me the opportunity to learn how to save her… through the dark side. Foolishly, blindingly trusting, believing he truly loved me as a son, I accepted the offer to be his apprentice."

Tears were flowing down Anakin's face now, and he buried his face in his hands. "But she died anyway… I killed her…"

"You couldn't have killed her," Luke insisted.

"She came to me… trying to change my mind… Obi-wan stowed away on her ship… I thought she was on his side… I went mad with rage… I… I…"

It was like a blow to the gut, like the catwalk on Bespin all over again. Luke stared, unbelieving, at his father, his mind reeling. He couldn't be saying… he couldn't have hurt her… not the woman he loved…

"After the duel… after my surgery… the Emperor… told me what I'd done…" Anakin was overcome with emotion by now, barely able to get the words out. "I died that day… at that moment… I had nothing left… my wife… my unborn child… my mentor… the Emperor took them from me… he betrayed me… he killed me…"

At that, Luke made a decision. He couldn't hate his father. Not now, and not ever again. True, he had made his choices. But he had made them trusting the Emperor as a child would trust their father, and the Emperor had manipulated his trust and used it against him, turning him into a slave to the dark side. Anakin had been a victim of Palpatine's treachery every bit as much as the rest of the galaxy.

Besides, Mother had forgiven him. Even though he had hurt her badly, she still loved him. If she could extend forgiveness, Luke could too.

"I'm here, Father," Luke told him, putting his arms around him. "You have me. You will always have me. I swear it."

Anakin inhaled deeply, getting a grip on his emotions. "Thank you, my son. You truly have your mother's heart…"

"Sorry to break up this bawlfest," Mentia announced, appearing on the other side of the fire, "but Luke might wanna come and see this."

"I'm not falling for that," Luke told her.

"Who said I wanted to get some stork action, sicko?" she demanded. "It's some guy from your galaxy. He's stuck in a tangle tree, and he's really mad."

"Our galaxy?"

"That's what I said."

Luke stood and went to investigate, Anakin close behind. The two men ignited their lightsabers for extra illumination as they progressed. There was a great racket in the jungle ahead of them – branches on metal, the creaking of wooden limbs, dismayed shouts, gunfire…

The light of their sabers revealed some sort of struggle before them – a good-sized tangle tree fighting to subdue its prey.

Luke nearly dropped his saber. "Boba Fett!"

"This is indeed a day for strange reunions, isn't it?" inquired Anakin.

Fett ignored both of them. Working his weapon-arm free of the constricting branches, he fired again and again at the tree. The blast-her fire barely charred the thick bark of the tree.

"Hold still," Luke advised. "I'll have you out in a second."

"I don't need your help, Jedi Skywalker," Fett snarled.

"I think otherwise," Luke replied, cautiously stepping closer. Never mind that the last time hunter and Jedi had met, it had been as foes. He couldn't let anyone suffer the horrible fate of strangling to death. He had to cut him loose… but he couldn't use his saber. He'd risk burning him. So he extinguished the blade and drew his sword. Fett's armor would protect him from the blade, reducing the risk of injury.

Several minutes of hacking later, Fett emerged from the mess of splintered branches, covered in wood chips and sticky sap. Luke attempted to wipe his sword clean on a corner of his robes, but the cloth only stuck to the sap-gummed metal. In the end, he gave up.

"How did you get here in Xanth?" inquired Anakin.

Fett holstered his blast-her. "Evidently the same way you did. The cursed game."

"I see." Anakin studied the ruins of the tangle tree. "Where is your Companion?"

"Don't have one."

"Surely you were assigned one."

"Since when did I give you permission to ask me obnoxious questions?" Fett snapped, brushing himself off as best he could.

"I'll be your Companion," Mentia offered in a sultry voice, inhaling deeply.

Fett looked her up and down, then shook his head sharply. "I work alone."

Luke slid the sword into his belt. "If you're traveling alone, you'd better join us. Xanth's dangerous if you aren't familiar with it."

"I can take care of myself," Fett growled, and he began to stalk off.

"Let him go, Luke," Anakin advised when Luke began to protest. "He'll be just fine. After all, I'm sure he's familiar with the rules of the game. Not to mention the laws and bylaws of Xanth."

Fett's footsteps slowed. Luke couldn't help but smile at his father's tactics.

"And of course he knows of the Adult Conspiracy," he went on. "And how to handle such menaces as demons and ogres and Com Pewter. Such hazards can only be bested a certain way, but I'm sure he'll figure it out."

Fett turned around. "Who are you?"

"Anakin Skywalker," he replied in a tone suggesting he wanted this over with quickly. "You know me as Darth Vader. After my death I came to Xanth, and I am serving as Luke Skywalker's Companion in the game."

Fett's gaze moved from one man to the other. Luke could almost see the mental gears at work, putting two and two together. But he didn't remark on the possible relation.

"Very well, Anakin and Luke Skywalker," he growled. "I'll accompany you for now. But keep the tramp away from me."

"Aw, tramps can be fun," Mentia told him. "I'll show you sometime…"

"There he is!"

The four of them whirled at the sound of that voice. Directly behind them was a party of goblins.

"That's the imps' precious Walker of the Sky!" their leader snarled. "The one who chased off our cat-apult! Let's get him!"

Anakin acted fast. Within an instant he'd taken on dragon form, and Luke leaped onto his shoulders. Fett stared at the dragon in shock for a fraction of a moment, but when the goblins began closing in for the kill he elected to face the lesser of two evils and mounted behind Luke. With a powerful thrust of his hind legs Anakin was airborne, leaving the goblins behind.

"That was close," Luke noted, looking down. Their flight was taking them directly over the Gap Chasm now. The Good Magician's castle wouldn't be far.

"Oh sure, leave me behind," huffed Mentia, appearing behind Fett and snuggling up to his back.

Anakin bellowed. _/We have company/_

A flock of the biggest birds Luke had ever seen soared after the dragon, hooked beaks and cruel talons gleaming wickedly in the moonlight. Anakin turned to face this new menace, roaring a challenge. The lead bird gave a battle cry of its own and swooped in for the kill.

"What are those?" demanded Fett.

_/Rocs/ _Anakin replied. _/Everyone hold on tight. Things are going to get rough./_

As the lead roc extended its talons to slash at Anakin, he opened his jaws and bathed the bird in fire. Screaming in its death agonies, the roc plummeted to the ground. But its brethren were by no means put off by the death of a comrade, and they struck with claw and beak in an attempt to drive Anakin out of the sky. Fett pulled out a blaster and began firing, but the bolts that found their marks only managed to singe a few feathers. They were far too big for such a puny weapon to do much damage.

A rock swooped down to tear Luke from Anakin's back, and Luke drew his lightsaber. But Anakin twisted in midair to fight the bird, throwing Luke off-balance. Another roc swept in from behind, and with a swipe of one massive wing it knocked Luke and Fett from the dragon's shoulders.

_Break…_

Jenny looked exhausted by now, and Leia didn't blame her. This game had been pretty tiring for her too – mentally tiring, of course. There were so many puzzles and puns to unravel…

"Oh my," Jenny breathed. "Poor thing."

Leia forced her stomach to remain where it was. The "poor thing" before them was the body of a giant bird, covered with flames.

WHAT IS THAT?

"It's a roc. I wonder what killed it."

Leia examined the sky. I THINK I KNOW WHAT KILLED IT.

Jenny looked up and screamed. A tremendous battle was being waged between several rocs and a fire-breathing dragon, and it looked as if the rocs had the upper hand – or wing. But as Jenny and Leia watched, two much smaller bodies fell from the sky… and toward a gaping canyon just ahead. One of the falling forms activated some sort of jet pack and shot upward to rejoin the battle. The other continued to hurtle toward the ground, shouting for help.

LUKE? That voice sounded strangely like her brother's…

Jenny gasped. "It IS Luke! It has to be!"

LUKE! Without thinking Leia rose from her chair. What was Luke doing in this game? And what was happening to him? If he were to be injured in any way…

She ran forward, toward the canyon, her path illuminated by the roc-bonfire just behind her. She was breathless by the time she reached the edge of the gorge, but she didn't care.

Luke was about three meters down, clinging for dear life to a small ledge.

"Leia!" he exclaimed, a joyful expression overcoming his fear for a moment.

"Luke! Hold on! I'll get you out!"

"Hurry!" he urged her.

"Here, use this," Jenny suggested, handing her a long tree limb.

Leia took the branch and lowered it toward Luke. It was just barely too short, he could barely touch it…

A deafening roar split the air, and the dragon dove for the canyon… and for Luke.

"NO!" she screamed, jerking the branch up and wielding it like a club. The monster wouldn't touch Luke if she had anything to say about it!

The dragon yelped in surprise as she swung, striking it in the nose. It backed away, hovering over the canyon, its gaze still fixed on Luke.

"Leia, no!" Luke shouted. "That's…"

The dragon reached for Luke again, but she rapped its paw as hard as she could with the makeshift club. It shrieked again as if trying to get her to understand.

"Jenny, find a longer stick!" Leia ordered. "Help Luke up…"

But it was too late. Luke lost his grip, and with a cry he fell.

"LUKE!"

The dragon screamed, and it folded its wings and plummeted after the young Jedi. Dragon and human vanished in the mist-shrouded depths of the canyon.


	5. Falsehood

**Part V – Falsehood**

For a long, tense moment the two women waited, staring into the depths of the chasm, silently hoping for any sign of life. Luke couldn't die! He had to survive. He'd always been so lucky – during the Battle of Yavin, the evacuation of Echo Base, his encounter on Bespin, facing down the Emperor over Endor… He couldn't have survived so much, only to fall to his death or be devoured by a dragon!

At last something stirred in the haze, and the dragon circled upward, claws empty. Had Luke survived and managed to hide? Or had the beast already eaten him?

"You know Luke?" Jenny asked at last.

Leia turned to face the elf child. "YOU know Luke?"

"Oh yes. He played the game a while ago. I wasn't his Companion, but…" She smiled fondly. "I always thought he was so handsome. And nice too. I sure hope he's okay. How do you know him? Is he a friend of yours?"

"He's… he's my brother."

Jenny's mouth formed an O of surprise. "Wow! I didn't know Luke had a sister!"

Something else came rocketing down from the sky – an armored human equipped with some sort of jet pack. The man touched down and gave Leia a baleful glare.

"Boba Fett?" she said in surprise. She'd thought the man as good as dead, devoured by the Sarlaac…

"Princess Leia Organa," he snarled. "I just keep meeting everyone I hate here."

"Who's Boba Fett?" Jenny asked.

"No one we need to get involved with," Leia told her.

"Why not? He doesn't look that bad. And he fought off the rocs…"

The dragon landed some fifteen meters away, its fanged mouth gaping open and panting. It looked rather worse for the wear – the rocs' claws and beaks had torn great rents in its scaly skin and wing membranes. Leia raised her club again in case it decided to attack them, but the beast seemed too exhausted to notice them.

"Where's Luke?" Jenny asked.

Luke! Leia edged toward the canyon. How deep was this chasm anyhow? Could they climb down and search for him? She couldn't accept the possibility that he was dead…

"You won't find him there, Princess."

She whirled at that unfamiliar voice.

The dragon was gone. In its place was a kneeling man in tattered brown robes, fresh scratches streaking his face and arms. He got to his feet with a wince and turned to face her.

"Whaddaya mean he's not down there?" another voice demanded, and a woman appeared out of nowhere next to her. "You're Luke's Companion! You were supposed to catch him!"

Luke's Companion! Shame inundated her. Of course Luke would also be playing the game! He had a copy of it as well, didn't he? And she had just botched his Companion's rescue efforts…

Shock replaced shame, and for a moment she felt rather light-headed. The game… she was no longer playing the game, she was IN the game… it was real, every aspect of it…

"Leia!" Jenny exclaimed.

The dragon-man moved fast, swiftly coming to her side and catching her arm to steady her. "It's all right, Princess Leia," he assured her. "It's always a shock coming in your first time."

"It's real," she murmured. "It's really real…"

Jenny smiled. "You came into the game, Leia. Now you can truly play the game."

Leia shook her head, trying to comprehend it all. She had just crossed into some alternate world, some world governed by laws and forces she couldn't begin to understand. She was here, and so was her brother…

"Where's Luke?" she asked, turning to the dragon-man.

"He is gone," he replied. "Back to your world."

"What does that mean?"

"It's impossible to die in the game," Jenny replied. "If something happens that would otherwise kill you, you just get sent back to wherever you came from."

A great wave of relief swept through her. "Then he's fine."

"Yes," the dragon-man replied. "The fall should have killed him, but it didn't. Instead of hitting the ground and dying, he simply crossed back through the barrier between the galaxy as you know it and Xanth. He will be free to play again, however, if he wishes."

"So that's the way out," Fett noted. "I should have just let the blasted roc eat me, then."

"Oh, stay in the game!" the woman encouraged. "We can have a lot of fun together, you and I." She inhaled, making the front of her dress stretch its seams dangerously.

"Drop dead," Fett snarled.

"Demons don't drop dead," she retorted.

"Shut up, both of you," the dragon-man ordered. "Fett, like it or not, Mentia is the closest thing you'll have to a Companion now. She can help you through the game. Mentia, like it or not, you've chosen to get involved in the game and can't back out now. Help Fett reach the Good Magician's castle."

"Who says I wanted to play?" Fett hissed.

"Just because a Player cannot die in Xanth doesn't mean the experience of leaving Xanth through 'death' is pleasant," he pointed out.

"But aren't you coming with us?" demanded Mentia.

"I was Luke's Companion," he replied. "And now that he has lost the game, he must start over. And I must be available as a choice if he does elect to play again."

"I think it's favoritism, that's what I think," Mentia humphed. "He can be a Companion to his son, but not to anyone else…"

Mentia's remark stunned Leia. Luke's father… but he had told her that his father – THEIR father – was Darth Vader… and Darth Vader had died a year ago. How could this man be…

The dragon-man read the shock on her face and extended his hands. "Leia, it's all right. You have no reason to fear me. I am Darth Vader no longer, but Anakin Skywalker."

Then it was Vader. Somehow, Vader had come to Xanth as well.

"Stay away from me," she ordered, raising the club again.

"Leia!" Jenny exclaimed. "He's not going to hurt you!"

"You don't know him, Jenny!" Leia retorted. "He's a monster, he's evil, he's a killer…"

"He isn't!" Jenny protested. "I do know him, and he's good! I was his Companion once, and he saved my life. And he helped defeat the evil Magician Darius. How could he be evil?"

Jenny knew Vader? And Vader had played the game at one point? Did the irony of it all never end? And how did Vader end up in Xanth as a Companion in the first place?

"What's going on here?" Fett demanded.

"That's what I wanna know," Mentia added.

Anakin – Vader – whoever he was sighed deeply. "Jenny, Fett, and Mentia, Luke is not my only child. He had a twin sister, and she stands before you right now."

Jenny gasped, Fett muttered something unintelligible, and Mentia gave a loud whoop.

"That must have been some signal you sent the stork!" the demoness exclaimed in a congratulatory tone.

Anakin rolled his eyes.

"He's not my father," Leia protested. "My father was Bail Organa…"

"Leia, you cannot accept Luke as your brother without accepting me as your father," Anakin told her gently. "I'm sorry, but it cannot work that way."

She lowered the club, still staring at the man who had once been Vader. Stang, he looked so much like Luke. They shared those penetrating blue eyes, those roguish features, and that dark blond hair. There could be no denying that he was Luke's father… and hers. But that didn't mean she had to be happy about that fact – or forgive him of everything he'd done to her.

"I want you to leave," she told him. "Go back to wherever it is the Companions go. Fly or teleport or whatever it is you do. Leave me alone."

Disappointment clouded his eyes. "I hope, my daughter, that someday we can repair our relationship. But for now, it seems you need a little more time to heal." He smiled unexpectedly. "You're like your mother, you know. And she waits to see you again."

Before Leia could ask him what he meant by that, he had taken on dragon form again. With a sweep of his wings he was airborne, soaring away in the direction she and Jenny had come from.

Fett stopped spluttering long enough to form a coherent sentence. "How many children does Darth Vader HAVE?"

"How should I know?" Mentia demanded. "None of 'em are mine, I know that much."

"I didn't know Luke had a sister," Jenny said happily. "This is wonderful!" Then she frowned. "But why do you hate your own father?"

Leia decided not to answer her. She had one goal in mind now – get out of the game. She had no desire to experience death in any form in order to escape the game, but she could track down the prize as quickly as possible, if nothing else. She had to get out of Xanth, away from Vader, away from the man who had caused her so much pain. She would confront Luke as well. After all this, she deserved an explanation.

"Sammy," she told the cat, "find the fastest way to cross this canyon."

Sammy meowed obediently, then loped to the edge of the canyon and sat down.

"The canyon's called the Gap Chasm," Jenny explained. "And somewhere there's an invisible bridge that crosses it. This must be the bridge."

"Then let's cross," Leia said, impatient to have the game over with.

"But the bridge might be out of order," Jenny replied. "It was the last time we tried to cross."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Um…" Jenny looked hopefully at Mentia. "Last time we played, Metria, you turned into a dust bunny and showed us where the holes in the bridge were…"

"I'm not Metria," the demoness shot back. "Metria got married, received a soul, and fell in love, in that order. I'm her worse half Mentia."

Fett shook his head. "I'll never understand this place."

"That's the one thing we have in common," Leia told him.

"Then can you help us, Mentia?" asked Jenny.

"Even if I were Mr. Fett's Companion – which I'm not – why would I help a rival Companionship win the game? It defeats the entire meaning of it being a game!"

"Help us cross the bridge, Mentia," Fett snarled.

"Don't think you can threaten me, scrap-bucket," she taunted. "Nothing can kill a demon."

"Could you work out a trade?" Jenny suggested. "If Mentia helps us, then Fett could give her something in return."

"Really?" Metria looked at Fett eagerly.

"Out of the question!" Fett exclaimed, taking a hasty step away from the demoness.

"I wasn't meaning that," Jenny replied. "I was thinking half your soul or something…"

"I don't want a soul!" Mentia snapped. "No self-respecting demon does!"

"Everyone shut up!" Leia shouted, her patience reaching the breaking point.

"He started it," Mentia whined.

"Did not," Fett rasped.

"You did too!"

"Did not."

Jenny giggled. "You two sound like a brother and sister fighting."

"Ewwww," Metria said with a disgusted look on her face.

When it became evident that those three were not going to quiet down anytime soon, Leia turned back to the canyon. Sammy gazed up at her expectantly, one paw raised to place on the bridge. She took a deep breath, then extended a foot.

_/It's a challenge of faith/ _she told herself. _/You have to have faith that you can cross. Faith that the bridge is there./_

Something took her weight – something that felt like a suspended wooden plank but was totally invisible to her eyes. Feeling a little more confident, she took another step, arms extended to either side for balance.

"Sammy, find any flaws in the bridge," she ordered.

Sammy darted across. The sight of a cat running on air unnerved her a little, but he seemed perfectly at ease, so she didn't worry too much over it. When he reached the opposite end of the bridge, he trotted back and uttered a negative sound, as if to indicate he couldn't find what she'd told him to find. Reassured, she bent down and scratched behind his ears before proceeding.

An ominous screech filled her ears, and Sammy yowled.

"Leia, look out!" Jenny cried.

The beast hurtling toward the bridge screeched again, and for a moment Leia thought it was another dragon. But this creature had two legs instead of four, and it didn't flap its membranous wings but glided like a child's paper starship. Its head bore a long sharp beak in front and a bony crest in back, and its entire body was covered in leathery reddish-brown skin. Beady red eyes fixed on Leia, and its beak opened like a giant pair of scissors as it dove.

"It's a tear-odactyl!" Jenny shouted. "Get off the bridge before it tears you apart!"

Sammy darted back to his mistress, but Leia took her chances and ran forward, hoping to get across before the creature struck. She didn't have enough time, though, and with a horrible swipe the tear-odactyl slammed its beak shut just behind her. The invisible ropes and boards of the bridge snapped apart, and she felt the bridge give way beneath her.

Instinctively she grabbed the portion of the bridge beneath her, hanging on for dear life as her half of the bridge dropped. The impact against the canyon wall knocked the breath out of her, but she hung on tight, and once she'd regained her breath she set to climbing to safety.

The tear-odactyl screeched again, diving toward her. Leia looked around frantically, seeking something, anything, to get out of this mess.

Just to her right, a scraggly bush sprouted from a crack in the rock, bearing glossy green leaves and nondescript black berries. When Leia extended a hand toward the bush, wondering if this was the key to some challenge, she felt a slight tingling sensation, as if the bush were charged with static electricity. And when her fingers brushed the leaves, the bush retaliated by delivering an electric shock – not very painful, but enough to make her draw back.

The tear-odactyl was close now, and its eyes gleamed eagerly. Thinking fast, Leia reached over and tore a few berries from the bush, ignoring the pain. When the monster opened its beak to tear her in two, she flung the berries at it.

The effect was much better than she could have hoped for. Two of the berries landed on the beast, one on the edge of its wing, the other on its beak. The tear-odactyl screamed in pain as an electric current arced between the berries, and its body jerked in agony. The shock only lasted a few seconds, but that was enough. The flying beast took to the skies again, searching for less difficult prey.

When she'd finally climbed out of the chasm, the others had already made it to the other side – Mentia had simply teleported over while Jenny had somehow convinced Fett to ferry her and her cat to the other side.

"He's not that bad a guy," she told Leia. "Honestly."

Leia eyed Fett suspiciously. "I'm sure he didn't do it without some promise of payment."

"Well… it seemed only fair," Jenny acknowledged. "I gave him a flute."

"A flute?" Leia repeated.

"It's a magic flute," Jenny told her. "It can be used to summon the imp army of the village of Imp Ire. They're great fighters, and Fett may need their services sometime during the game." She motioned for them to continue. "Shall we find a campsite? It's been a long day, and I'm sure we can all use some rest."

"I say we go on," Fett snarled. "The sooner we get out of Xanth, the better."

"Sounds good to me," Leia agreed. "What can we use as a light source?"

"Taken care of," Mentia chimed, and within a fraction of a second she'd taken on the form of a glowing insect. "Forward march!"

As they proceeded down the path, Jenny flashed Leia a congratulatory smile. "Good job facing the tear-odactyl. I wouldn't have thought to use a current bush to fight it."

Leia didn't answer. Her entire attention was focused on the path ahead – and whatever puzzle they would need to solve next. Her only goal was to leave this place, and fast.

_Break…_

Anakin couldn't help but feel somewhat depressed as he glided over the darkened land of Xanth, occasionally exhaling a blast of fire to light his way. He had hoped Leia would be at least somewhat receptive to him. But it was not to be. She hated Darth Vader – and had every right to hate him – and that hatred was not something that could be easily quenched.

A black shadow darted through the trees below – a night mare running her appointed rounds. He did feel sorry for his daughter, having to unexpectedly face the source of her own nightmares just after seeing her brother fall to certain death. She had lived a hard life – watching her planet be destroyed at the whim of a sadistic Grand Moff, being chased from one backwater world to another by the Empire, being separated from her beloved… and many of those trials had been caused by her own father.

Hopefully Luke could reach her when they next met, be it within the game or without. She needed to heal, needed to find a way to let go of her anger and hatred. The last thing he wanted was for one of his children to follow in his footsteps, a slave to their own fury.

When he landed in the Companions' meadow, everyone was asleep. He counted the slumbering forms and identified them, searching for any unfamiliar faces. The lone stranger in this group was a young girl, either human or a werebeast of some kind. For a moment he considered waking her to become acquainted with her, but he decided against it. Instead, he made himself comfortable and curled up to sleep. When outdoors, he preferred sleeping in dragon form – if he was awakened by some danger, he would be better prepared to face it.

WAKE UP.

The other Companions groaned and struggled to their feet, grumbling.

WAKE UP AND SHUT UP, Demon Grossclout ordered. IT IS TIME FOR THE SELECTION OF THE FALSE COMPANION.

"In the middle of the night?" moaned Nada Naga, uncurling and assuming human form.

TRY NOT TO LET THE MUSH IN YOUR HEAD SHOW, he thundered. A PLAYER IS COMING. YOUR NEEDS ARE SECONDARY TO THE NEEDS OF THE PLAYER.

Anakin got to his feet and resumed his human form. The unfamiliar girl gasped when she saw him change shape, and all traces of sleepiness left her face.

"You're a weredragon?" she inquired hopefully.

"I'm afraid not," Anakin replied. "My talent is the ability to assume the form of any flying beast."

"Oh, wow!" she marveled. "My name's Becca Weredragon, and I'm so happy to meet you!" She altered her form to that of a green-and-purple dragon as if to prove her background.

Anakin smiled sadly. "I hate to disappoint you, Becca, but you're a little young to be thinking about a husband. And besides, I am already married."

"Oh," she replied, crushed, and she resumed human form.

"I'm very sorry," he told her, "but Xanth is vast. There are other weredragons out there. I'm sure of it."

ENOUGH GABBING, demanded Grossclout. IT IS TIME FOR THE SELECTION OF THE FALSE COMPANION.

Anakin closed his eyes, wanting this over with quickly.

THE SELECTION IS – NOW.

**YOU.**

Only intense self-control kept Anakin from shouting in denial. No! Not him!

The others looked around, puzzled, as if hoping to see some sign of who had been selected. Keeping his face neutral, Anakin did the same, though inside he was in turmoil. Why had he been selected? And why now? Common sense told him that the selection of who was True and who was False was entirely random, but something Jenny had told him two years ago nagged at him – that few things in Xanth were truly random.

Another, far different voice entered his mind. While Grossclout's voice was deep, thunderous, and threatening, this one had a pleasant tone and accent and spoke with the easy, convincing manner of a lawyer or politician.

YOU WILL RECEIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, it told him. YOU WILL OBEY THESE WITHOUT QUESTION.

_/I can't/ _he protested. _/I have betrayed enough people in my life! I won't do so again/_

YOU WILL OBEY WITHOUT QUESTION, the voice insisted calmly. THERE ARE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES IF YOU CHOOSE TO DISOBEY.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to accept defeat for the moment. _/Understood./_

GOOD. VERY GOOD.

"Here comes a Player," Grundy noted. "Better go do my job."

Anakin held his breath as the screen materialized. Let it be anyone else but Luke, let it be some clueless soul from Mundania or reckless youth of his own galaxy…

"Hi, Grundy!" Luke exclaimed, his face appearing in the screen. "I'm coming in, and I'd like Anakin Skywalker as my Companion, please."

Anakin wanted to scream. Oh Luke – good-hearted, trusting, blindly faithful Luke, still as naïve as ever after all these years. He hadn't even stopped to consider the possibility that his father might be a False Companion this time around, that perhaps another Companion might serve him better for this game. What had his son done to deserve this? Stang, he didn't need more treachery at the hands of his father!

"All right," Grundy said dejectedly. "Makes me wonder why I'm in the game in the first place, seeing as no one wants me as a Companion…"

"Maybe next time," Luke told the golem. "But right now I'd like to see my father."

Goody Goblin nudged Anakin forward. "Go on and see your son," she said with a smile.

He forced himself forward, forced his features to remain pleasant, locking his conflicted emotions away. "Luke, you had me worried."

"I'm fine," Luke told him. "I didn't even hit bottom. Hold on, let me get in."

The screen vanished, and Luke stood before him, looking just as he had before his untimely fall. Even the imps' sword still hung from his belt. He grinned and embraced his father.

Anakin returned the embrace, hating himself for this duplicity. How could he betray his own son? Yet how could he not? The rules of the game were clear – any Companion who neglected his duties, whether they were to protect their Player or to betray him, was subject to harsh penalties. But if following the rules meant hurting Luke…

YOUR SON WILL COME TO NO HARM, the voice told him. TRUST ME. IT'S JUST A GAME.

True, as far as that went. But how would his son react when he learned his own father had knowingly betrayed him? And if that betrayal resulted in some sort of greater loss… if another demon's wager rode on this game… what effects could that have on the universe in general?

A wildly hopeful thought came to his mind. What if…

IF YOU TELL YOUR SON YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS FALSE, the voice snapped in a harsh tone, making Anakin wince, YOU WILL BE FOUND IN CONTEMPT OF THE RULES AND PUNISHED. YES, I HEARD YOUR THOUGHTS, SKYWALKER. TAKE CARE TO MIND THEM FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.

"Father, are you all right?" Luke asked, pulling away.

"I'm fine," he lied. "Leia has me a little concerned, that's all. She didn't take too kindly to my presence."

"I'm sorry," Luke replied. "Maybe if we hurry, we can track her down. Maybe it's time we had a family talk."

"Yes," Anakin acknowledged. "Maybe."

"Then let's go," Luke suggested. "Take the air route again."

"Very well." He took on dragon form again, and Luke mounted. With a sweep of his wings he was airborne.

_/I'm wearing a mask all over again/ _he thought privately with a mixture of despair and anger. Death in the Galaxy Far, Far Away had freed him of the steel mask he had so hated, but the knowledge that he was to be a False Companion had forced him to don another, even more abhorrent mask – that of deception. And the worst of it was that he couldn't even confide in his son!

With a gusty sigh and a blast of fire, he set off for the Gap Chasm, where they had left Leia. Let this be over with quickly. There was always the chance that Luke would make another error that would cause him to be pulled from the game. Perhaps he could somehow get out of this without actually betraying his son.

He could only hope.


	6. Interface

**Part VI – Interface **

It had been a bad idea, Leia now realized, to keep their party walking all night. It had only served to get them in trouble.

Driven by the urgent desire to escape Xanth, she and Fett had pushed Jenny, Mentia, and Sammy onward for a good half the night. When Jenny had finally pleaded for a break and Sammy had adamantly refused to go a step further, they had dragged themselves, exhausted and filthy, into a nearby cave to spend the rest of the night. Everyone had been so tired that even the cold stone floor of the cavern couldn't hamper their sleep.

But upon awakening, they discovered they had trespassed into the lair of a dangerous creature, one that had no intention of letting them go.

INTRUDERS AWAKEN.

Leia had already been half-awake at this point, puzzled at the sight of a giant glowing screen, but the instant those words appeared on said screen all traces of sleep fled. Fett and Jenny got to their feet, groaning and sore from sleeping on rock all night. Mentia, who had been lurking in a corner in the form of a puff of smoke, assumed human form in an instant.

IDENTIFY YOURSELVES, the screen demanded.

"Better do as he says," Jenny advised, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's Com Pewter, the most evil machine in Xanth. He has the power to manipulate reality in this cave."

Leia had her doubts – after all, she classified Vader as an evil machine of sorts, yet Jenny seemed to regard him as a friend and hero – but she had to concede that no good could come from crossing this unlikely creature. "I'm Leia Organa. This is Jenny Elf, my Companion."

WELCOME, PLAYER LEIA. I HAVE MET COMPANION JENNY ONCE BEFORE. WHO ARE THE OTHERS?

"Boba Fett and Demoness Mentia," Jenny replied. "Oh, and Sammy Cat."

Fett was busy peeling some sort of wooden braces from his legs, something Leia hadn't noticed until now. He seemed to be pointedly ignoring Com Pewter, as if dismissing the machine could make it not exist.

BOUNTY HUNTER ADDRESSES COM PEWTER WITH THE PROPER RESPECT.

Fett sprang to his feet, grunting a little from lingering pain, and snapped to a salute. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Com Pewter."

"Hey!" exclaimed Jenny. "Do you have permission to participate in the game?"

The screen flickered as if Com Pewter were enjoying a laugh. IF I DID, I COULDN'T TELL YOU, NOW COULD I?

"Oh boy," Jenny moaned. "Com Pewter's a notorious meddler. He likes nothing better than to interfere in the lives of other creatures and toy with them. He used to be good – the Zombie Master's daughter reprogrammed him – but he's evil again for the game's purposes."

"In that case, I say we leave…" Leia began.

"It's not as simple as that," Jenny said uneasily.

"What do you mean?" Fett demanded.

CAVE-IN BLOCKS PASSAGE IN AND OUT OF CAVE.

The tunnel leading out of Com Pewter's cave shuddered and collapsed in a cloud of dust.

"Hey, play nice, flat-face!" Mentia demanded.

DEMONESS ASSUMES FORM OF QUIET ROCK.

Mentia's body morphed into a lump of stone.

GAME PLAYERS, IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, Com Pewter told them, seeming to smile even though he had no facial features. IT IS GOOD TO FINALLY MEET A FEW CREATURES IN XANTH THAT KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT MY KIND. I COULD USE YOUR SERVICES BEFORE YOU DEPART.

"What for?" asked Leia warily.

CRYPTOGRAPHY.

"What kind of giraffe?" asked Jenny.

CRYPTOGRAPHY, ELF CHILD, the machine repeated. THE STUDY OF CODE. SURELY ONE OR THE OTHER OF YOU PLAYERS KNOW ABOUT COM-PEWTER CODE.

Fett nodded. "I deal with codes and ciphers on occasion."

VERY GOOD. YOU WILL HELP ME…

"Don't do it!" Mentia shouted, becoming human again, terror on her face for perhaps the first time in her twisted life. "It's a trick!"

DEMONESS SHUTS HER TRAP.

Mentia's mouth took on the shape of a mousetrap and snapped shut.

BETTER. FETT, I NEED YOU TO FIND THE SOLUTION TO THIS CODE.

A random series of letters and numbers appeared on the screen. Fett took a step closer and studied the string of characters. "It will take some time to find a pattern…" he began.

"Don't solve it for him!" Mentia cried, another mouth appearing on her forehead. "I know that code, and it's…"

BLABBERMOUTH DEMONESS GOES INTO STASIS.

Mentia fuzzed into vapor.

BOUNTY HUNTER IGNORES CRAZED DEMONESS AND FINDS SOLUTION TO CODE.

Fett seemed deep in thought as he scrutinized the code. Leia wondered just what the solution could be – and why the demoness seemed so worked up over it.

"Um, Fett?" Jenny said unsurely. "I'm not your Companion, but… if Mentia says not to solve the code, maybe there's a reason…"

ELF GIRL OPENS HER MOUTH TO SAY MORE, BUT FINDS HER TONGUE HAS GONE NUMB.

The rest of Jenny's sentence came out in a senseless babble, and she clapped her hands over her lips.

"Jenny, are you okay?" asked Leia.

She nodded.

Mentia, seeing that all her attempts to talk sense into Fett were being thwarted, interrupted Fett's attempt to decipher the code by assuming the form of a long-eared equine creature – and kicking the hunter squarely in the seat of the pants. Startled, he tumbled forward.

"Ow!" Fett yelped, more out of surprise than actual pain, as he picked himself up off the ground. "What was that for, you pain in the ass?"

"I keep trying to tell you!" Mentia growled, snapping out of ass form and back into human form. "That's a code to hack into the Interface!"

"The what?" asked Leia.

DEMONESS TURNS INTO A TOAD-STOOL.

Mentia vanished, to be replaced by a fist-sized fungus on which a plump toad perched, glaring at Com Pewter with bulging eyes.

"The Interface separates Xanth from Mundania," Jenny explained. "Sometimes there are breaks in the Interface, where people can come into Xanth from Mundania or other worlds – like the World of Two Moons or the Galaxy Far, Far Away. Sometimes the Interface can be changed to accommodate other factors, like the 'Companions of Xanth' game or the Time of No Magic…"

ELF GIRL'S MOUTH FILLS WITH SOAP.

Jenny coughed and gagged, bubbles oozing from the corners of her mouth. Leia hastily wiped her lips with a corner of her dress, wishing this cave had a spring or pool inside so her Companion could rinse her mouth.

Mentia became human again and picked up where Jenny left off. "If anyone who's not supposed to – like SOME machines I could mention but won't even though their initials are C.P. – dinks around with the Interface…"

DEMONESS FINDS HERSELF SURROUNDED BY GOLDEN SILENCE.

A metallic gold mist encircled Mentia, and whatever she had to say was muffled by the fog. Her lips continued to move angrily, however, like a hologram that had been recorded without sound. The sight of the demoness talking animatedly but soundlessly would have been pretty amusing had the circumstances not been so bizarre.

"…plays with the Interface," Jenny continued, finally spitting out the last of the soap, "they can cause new holes in the Interface or even bring it down entirely…"

ELF GIRL LOSES VOICE.

There was a strange plink, like a coin striking the floor, and Jenny made a frustrated face as she got to her hands and knees and went looking for her voice.

"…and bringing down the Interface can let all Mundania loose on Xanth!" Mentia shrieked, waving away the last of the silence. "And Mundanians can be barbarians, I can tell you…"

"…and they don't appreciate magic," Jenny finished, finding her voice in a dark corner just in time to conclude her and Mentia's explanation.

Leia understood – sort of. "So what you're telling me is that Com Pewter wants to break into the Interface and bring it down."

"Yeah, that's about the gist of it," Mentia replied.

"Why?" demanded Fett. "Why would he want to destroy his own world?"

XANTH CANNOT BE DESTROYED BY MERE MUNDANIANS, Com Pewter countered fiercely. BESIDES, WHY SHOULD ONLY A CHOSEN FEW GET TO KNOW XANTH? WHY NOT LET ALL MUNDANIA SEE THIS LAND? WHY NOT BRING DOWN THE BARRIER AND LET THE TWO WORLDS BE ONE? MY ASSOCIATE AND I WILL BRING A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY TO XANTH…

"Your associate?" repeated Fett, intrigued. "Who would that be?"

NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT CRYPTOGRAPHY, AND WILL SOON HAVE THE MEANS TO HACK INTO THE INTERFACE. ALL HE NEEDS IS THE FINAL ENTRY CODE… AND FETT WILL PROVIDE IT.

"Fett, don't!" shouted Jenny.

BOUNTY HUNTER SOLVES ENTRY CODE.

Com Pewter's magic was too strong. As long as Fett was in the cave, he couldn't disobey. He stared at the code, muttering to himself, all the while clenching his fists in anger.

Both Jenny and Mentia wore expressions of fear, and Leia couldn't blame them. To know that someone sought to bring untold destruction upon their world…

_/Alderaan./ _Another world lost to a madman's whim. Another world destroyed for a sick, selfish purpose. And Xanth could face just such a fate if Com Pewter had his way. However good his "associate's" intentions were, Com Pewter's only objective was to inflict damage upon Xanth for his own sadistic pleasure. Small wonder he had agreed to become evil again for the game's purposes – it gave him an excuse to get involved in this madness.

Leia bent down, picked up as big a rock as she could throw, and flung it at the screen.

ROCK BECOMES A HARMLESS PILLOW.

The cushion bounced harmlessly from the screen.

GOOD TRY, HUMAN WOMAN, BUT FOR NAUGHT. DON'T TRY THAT AGAIN, OR I WILL BE FORCED TO…

The stones blocking the passageway shifted alarmingly, as if something huge was trying to work its way through. A draconine head broke through, eyes aflame with anger. And clinging to its neck…

"Luke!"

Luke slid down from the dragon-Anakin's neck and rushed forward, embracing his sister.

"Luke, you're all right," she murmured, relieved to see him again.

"So are you," he replied, obviously equally relieved. "When Father and I saw your tracks leading here, we feared the worst."

Anakin shoved aside the last of the rock before returning to his human form. "Com Pewter. We meet again."

The screen blipped in surprise, obliterating the code. Fett shook his head, free from Com Pewter's spell, and he stepped away to let Anakin face the machine.

RUNNING FACIAL SCAN… NO MATCH. RUNNING VOICE SCAN… NO MATCH. STAND BY FOR RETINAL SCAN… DARTH VADER. YOU HAVE CERTAINLY CHANGED SINCE YOU DEFEATED ME LAST TIME.

Vader had defeated Com Pewter? How had he managed that?

"Let my daughter and associate go," Anakin ordered calmly. "Their Companions as well. You have no business forcing them to further your own twisted ends."

Com Pewter's screen flickered in laughter. I'M A GAME CHALLENGE, FOOL. THEY HAVE TO GET BY ME FIRST. AND THIS TIME, YOU CAN'T INTERFERE. YOU'RE A COMPANION, REMEMBER? COMPANIONS CAN'T INTEFERE WITH MY CHALLENGES.

"Very well. Shall it be another contest of riddles?"

NO. THIS SHALL BE A CONTEST OF BEASTS. WE WILL PIT MONSTERS AGAINST EACH OTHER. MY MONSTER SHALL GUARD THE EXIT TO THE CAVE, AND YOUR MONSTER WILL HAVE TO DEFEAT IT TO GET PAST. IF YOU CAN FIND A MONSTER THAT IS ABLE TO DEFEAT ALL MY MONSTERS, YOU WIN.

"And if we lose?" asked Leia, not sure she wanted an answer.

THEN YOU FIGURE OUT THE SOLUTION TO THE INTERFACE CODE.

Luke took a deep breath. "All right. Here goes nothing."

"Wrong, Skywalker," Mentia told him. "Here goes everything."

Luke faced the entrance to the cave. "Dragon!"

Instantly a dragon appeared, its scales gleaming a deep blue-green, eyes glittering malevolently. It snorted, smoke rings pluming from its nostrils, and eyed the exit.

BASILISK.

A large lizard with a fiery red crest popped into existence just inside the doorway.

"Leia, don't look!" Jenny cried. "Its gaze will kill you!"

At the last second Leia looked away. The dragon gave a dry, sick rasp and sank to the ground like a punctured balloon. Its body vanished.

"Well, that didn't work," Mentia noted. "Any other ideas?"

"A blind warrior, bearing a mirror," Leia suggested. Hopefully the basilisk wasn't immune to its own gaze…

A young man, garbed in armor and with milky white eyes, appeared, clutching a mirror in his hands. The basilisk coughed once and toppled to its side, then disappeared as the dragon had.

HARPY.

A filthy, ugly, vicious-looking bird with a woman's head burst out of the tunnel, screaming in rage. She dove upon the warrior and tore him to shreds with her claws, the pieces vanishing.

"Roc!" Fett declared.

The enormous bird took up nearly half the cavern, and with a snap of its beak it devoured the harpy, though it looked disgusted as it did so.

ROCK STAR.

A pentagram, carved from solid stone that glittered with every color imaginable and emitting a loud, rowdy song, appeared on the floor of the cavern. The roc stared, transfixed, at the object.

"What's a rock star?" asked Leia.

"It's very, very popular," Jenny told her. "People will come from miles around to see a rock star and listen to its music – though I don't really care for rock music. Rocs, especially, love rock stars. But some people are so obsessed with rock stars that they'll waste away watching them and fantasizing about them."

Even as Jenny spoke the roc's feathers drooped and fell to the cavern floor. Before their eyes it seemed to wither away to nothing. The rock star pulsed with music, uncaring, even as its admirer vanished into thin air.

"Hmmm." Luke seemed deep in thought. "Something to fight a rock star…" He turned to Com Pewter. "Permission to confer with my Companion."

GRANTED.

Luke turned to Anakin, and they spoke in hushed tones. Leia wondered just what sort of advice Anakin was giving. Then Luke turned to face the rock star, an amused expression on his face.

"A country-western star."

"What?" Leia asked, puzzled.

"Stars from the western country play music as well, though their fans aren't quite as obsessed and given to self-destruction as rock-star fans," Jenny told her. "And many rock star fans hate country-western stars and their music"

Another pentagram appeared, this one gleaming gold and pouring out music that was just as rowdy as the rock star's music but, strangely, sounded less grating and metallic. The rock star's song tapered off with a disgusted groan, and the star shattered into pieces.

OGRE.

A hideous giant bellowed its rage, both at being faced with a country-western star and at having to stoop to fit in Com Pewter's cave. It raised its club and smashed the star flat. The song broke off with a discordant twang.

"Now what?" asked Fett.

"Don't be so cynical," Mentia chided. "Ogres aren't invincible."

He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue. "Tangle tree."

A massive tree with tentacle-like branches burst from the stone floor, grasping the ogre in its limbs. After a few flailing moments, the ogre was crushed.

AGENT ORANGE.

A strange man appeared, but before Leia could get a good look at him the tangle tree withered away to nothing.

"Agent Orange's talent is killing plants," Jenny explained. "But I don't think he affects animals… at least, he's not supposed to…"

"All the same… Com Pewter, permission to confer with my Companion."

GRANTED.

She turned to Jenny. "What in Xanth isn't an animal or a plant but can defeat Agent Orange?"

"Oh, lots of things! Inanimate objects have distinct personalities in Xanth. Ass-ass-in droids, for example, are downright nasty, as are mood swings, iron maidens, Fracto the Cloud King…"

Leia turned to Agent Orange. "Iron maiden."

A woman made entirely of metal appeared, wearing an innocent expression – and clothes that were covered with long, sharp spikes. Agent Orange grinned and reached forward to embrace the maiden, but he forgot entirely about the spikes and was impaled.

GARGOYLE.

A grotesque winged beast made of stone loped into the canyon. It eyed the iron maiden with eternally bulging eyes and spat a stream of water at her. The maiden shrieked as she flaked away to rust.

"Troop of goblins," Fett ordered.

A party of ugly purple men swarmed over the gargoyle and pounded it to dust with their clubs.

GRIFFON.

A bizarre creature with a sand panther's body and a bird-of-prey's head and wings ripped indiscriminately at the goblins with beak and claw, devouring some and simply killing others.

"George Bush," Luke put in.

Another plant sprouted from the stone floor, this time a bush that fired tiny missiles at the griffon. The beast screamed as the projectiles impacted, setting its fur and feathers on fire. The assault continued until the griffon collapsed, scorched and blasted to death.

EYE RACK.

A display rack of some kind appeared, with a wide array of eyes sitting on its shelves like so many gemstones for sale. These eyes blasted fire at the George Bush, and the bush, having no exit strategy, was soon blown to bits.

Fett was silent a long time. He slid a hand into his belt pouch, withdrew something, and placed it against his forehead. From what Leia could see, it looked like nothing more than a piece of fuzz…

"Thyme," Fett said at last.

A plant appeared.

"Oh boy," Jenny breathed. "Fett chose a doozy. Thyme is one of the most powerful plants in Xanth – and it defeats anything that challenges it in the end."

True to Jenny's word, the eye rack fixed its fiery gaze on the plant, and instantly its every movement seemed to slow down until it seemed frozen in thyme – er, time.

NO! blasted Com Pewter, his screen flashing crimson. I DECLARE A FOUL!

"No foul, Com Pewter," Anakin replied coldly. "Fett worked without aid from a Companion or anyone else. He defeated you fairly."

The screen flickered with a maelstrom of colors, and hot vapor issued in white jets from behind the screen.

"Let's go while he blows off steam," Mentia suggested.

Leia was more than happy to leave the cave, sidestepping the frozen eye rack on the way.

_Break…_

Jenny had imagined that the reunion between Luke and his sister would be a happy affair. But it turned out she was sorely mistaken.

When they reached the next available campsite, Leia pulled her brother aside for a little "discussion." The "discussion" became more and more heated as it went on, and though the others did their best to ignore it, it was getting pretty difficult.

Anakin sighed gustily as he finished lighting the fire. "Poor Leia."

"Poor Leia?" repeated Mentia, agape. "I'd say poor Luke. Leia's carrying on like a friggin' harpy over there. What's she got against you anyhow?"

"I do not have the most immaculate of pasts," Anakin replied vaguely, sitting down.

"That's an understatement," muttered Fett as he dumped a load of firewood next to one of the tents.

"But you're not a Dark Lord anymore," Jenny pointed out. "You're Anakin Skywalker. Doesn't she see that? And besides, you're her father…"

Anakin shook his head. "Leia was raised by a man named Bail Organa. He is her father, not I. I have done nothing to deserve that title." He looked away. "I captured Leia once… and tortured her nearly to death in an attempt to make her betray the location of the Rebellion. She can never forgive me for that."

Jenny winced. Torture? She hadn't realized he'd been so brutal when he'd been a Sith. Something told her that she'd been extraordinarily lucky to see a milder version of him when he'd played the game last time.

Another snippet of "discussion" drifted toward them.

"You could have at least told me HE was here!"

"Look, Leia, I had no idea…"

"Was this your idea of a joke? Because if it is, it's not funny…"

"Leia, no one forced you to play. And besides, I saw him die a year ago. How was I supposed to know he'd come here?"

Jenny stood. "I'm going to talk to Leia."

Anakin frowned. "I wouldn't interfere, Jenny."

"I'm her Companion," Jenny pointed out. "It's my job to make sure she acts sensibly in Xanth."

"Pah, who wants to act sensibly?" snorted Mentia.

Jenny left Anakin, Metria, and Fett to finish setting up camp and went into the woods nearby, where Luke and Leia were still arguing.

"Luke, can I talk to Leia for a minute?"

"Huh? Oh sure, go ahead." He went back to camp, looking much relieved that someone else would be taking the heat now.

"Jenny, I want to quit the game," Leia told her quickly. "Luke said you knew the way to release me from the game, and I want to take it. I'm not spending another minute here."

Jenny's first impulse was to play dumb and say she had no idea what Luke was talking about, but that would only get her in trouble – after all, she wasn't a False Companion. "I do know the way out, Leia. But first, can I talk to you?"

She sighed. "Make it quick."

Jenny pointed back at Anakin. "I know you don't know Anakin very well, and he told me you went through some awful stuff while he was still Vader. But before you decide to leave Xanth just because he's in it, why don't you try to get to know him? He's your father, after all…"

"I don't want to get to know him." Her face filled with an incredible sadness. "Jenny, my father was Bail Organa. Anakin may have conceived me, but the man who raised me is the one I consider my father. Anakin can never replace him."

"He doesn't have to. You can have room in your life for two fathers, can't you?"

"But Jenny, you don't know him either! You don't know everything he did as Darth Vader…"

"I don't know everything he ever did as Darth Vader," Jenny countered. "But I know of some. I know he saved my life when I almost fell into a wormhole. I know he defeated Com Pewter in a contest of riddles to free us from his wrath. I know he shed tears when he thought Luke had drowned in a flash flood, and I know he did everything in his power to get Luke breathing again when we discovered he had a pulse. I know he rescued a unicorn woman from a forget whorl and a flock of harpies and helped restore her memory, and I know he helped a centaur find his true love. I know he defeated the evil Magician Darius in battle and faced down an ogre with no thought for his own safety. I know he has dreams and fears the same as everyone else." She smiled at Leia. "I don't know what else he did, but in my mind, if he can do all those good things, he can't be all bad."

Leia just stared.

"Give him a trial run," Jenny encouraged. "And watch him be a Companion to Luke. I think you'll find he's a loyal Companion, a heroic man, and a repentant father. Before you simply up and leave Xanth, give him a chance to be a father again."

She looked at Anakin, then at Jenny. With a sigh she conceded.

"I'll give it one more day," she said resignedly. "Then you'll send me back."

"Deal," Jenny agreed, shaking Leia's hand.

Luke, who'd eavesdropped somewhat on the conversation, smiled.


	7. Aquafur

**Part VII – Aqua-fur**

Fett wanted to kill something. The demoness would have been his first choice had she not been indestructible – her constant flirting and suggestive manner toward him was severely wearing on his nerves. His next choice would probably have been Skywalker, since as long as he was in a murderous mood he might as well get a little revenge for being thrown to the sarlaac. He'd probably save Anakin for last; the man had been the closest thing to a friend he'd ever had back in their galaxy, and Fett had to admit an ingrained sense of honor kept him from wishing the man harm.

He wanted out of Xanth. He was not yet desperate enough to kill himself to escape the game – even a bounty hunter fears death in any form. But the sooner he worked his way out of this screwball game, the better. If he stayed here much longer, he'd be driven to madness. Between the puns, Mentia, and Anakin's coming back to life – which still hadn't been explained to him – nothing made sense anymore, and that was too much for him to handle.

_/At least our galaxy makes sense. None of this pun nonsense or magic…/_

"See anything back there, Fett?" asked Luke.

"No," he growled. "Nothing of use, anyhow."

Anakin circled the field again, and everyone else scanned the area from their seats on the dragon-man's back. According to Jenny and Anakin, the Good Magician's castle should have been located in this general area, but there was no castle to be found. In fact, there were no houses, barns, or even a rundown shack to mark the dwelling of the supposedly all-powerful being that could help them fulfill their quest.

"The last time we came to Xanth, it was a skyscraper," Luke explained, leaning over a bit more.

"It changes a lot," Jenny replied. "The Good Magician's constantly remodeling."

"Yeah, but even that old hack wouldn't up and raze the place to the ground, would he?" demanded Mentia. "He's not that senile yet…"

"Shut up," Fett hissed.

"You're not my Player or my boss, Fett, so don't tell me what to do," she snapped, sticking her tongue out.

_/Enough, you two/ _ordered Anakin telepathically.

"Could finding his castle be one of our three challenges?" asked Leia.

"Maybe," answered Jenny. "Sometimes it's invisible, or underground, or disguised…"

Luke, who'd just opened his mouth to say something, suddenly began hacking and coughing.

"Luke, are you okay?" asked Leia.

"Yeah," he replied hoarsely, clearing his throat several times and making a disgusted face. "I think I just swallowed a bug."

Jenny giggled behind her hand. "Sorry, Luke… but it is kind of funny."

Fett gestured toward the ground. "Land, Anakin. We've seen nothing from the air. Might as well search on foot now."

Anakin began his descent. As they drifted closer to the ground a metallic flash caught Fett's eye.

"Over there," he said, pointing.

Once Anakin had landed and resumed human form, the group ventured over for a closer look. The flash Fett had seen turned out to be light reflected from the iron hinge of a door that was otherwise completely obscured by vegetation. Luke and Leia quickly cleared away the overgrown grass to reveal the wooden door, which lay flush with the ground as if someone had simply thrown it away. But when Fett reached down and pulled on the handle, it wouldn't budge.

"Careful," Jenny urged. "It could be a trap door. All sorts of unsavory types use them to capture unsuspecting people."

"I don't think they'd lock a trap door," Luke replied, kneeling by the door and tapping the strange locking mechanism – a mass of twisted, serpentine metal that was either an extremely elaborate lock or just a tangled mess.

"It's a Lock Ness," Mentia said. "Monstrous things…"

"I'll handle this," Fett said gruffly, crouching to inspect the lock. In his line of work he'd had to pick apart locks of almost every make and caliber. He had yet to see the lock that could prove a match for him. He smiled grimly, somewhat glad that he was finally facing a challenge he was familiar with.

But nearly half an hour later he was ready to kill something again. He couldn't pick the snarled metal apart, couldn't untwist it, couldn't break it, and even attempting to melt it with his flamethrower had produced no results.

"Everyone look around," suggested Anakin. "The Good Magician often leaves clues in the vicinity. Scour the area, and collect anything that looks out of the ordinary."

_/Out of the ordinary? This whole PLANET'S out of the ordinary/ _But Fett didn't voice his opinion, just kicked the locked door and set off with the others.

The search turned up a number of interesting items – a griffon's feather, a snake's shed skin, a discarded goblin spear, a nest of ovenbird eggs that almost glowed with heat, a tiger lily that nearly took a chunk out of Luke's leg before Leia squashed it, a faded map, a branch of sweet-smelling rosewood, and a few oddly colored rocks. Jenny spread these items out on a blanket to inspect them more closely.

"We could use the ovenbird eggs to melt the lock," she suggested. "Or the goblin's spear to pick it, or the rocks to smash it…"

"Fett's already tried all that," Luke pointed out.

"Perhaps the lock is enchanted," Anakin recommended. "So that the only tools that can open the lock are those designated by the Good Magician."

"Well, let's look at everything again," Jenny said with her usual unflagging optimism. "Feather, snakeskin, spear, eggs, lily, map, rosewood, rocks…"

"Map," mused Leia. "A map of what?"

"A map of some part of Mundania. I've never been there, so I can't say…"

"Let me see the map," Leia requested.

Jenny handed it over, and Leia examined it closely.

"What we need is a key," Fett growled. "A key to open the lock…"

"I found a key." Leia held the map by one edge over the blanket and shook it sharply. With a thunk an ancient iron key tumbled from the aged paper.

"Of course!" Luke realized. "Maps have keys!"

Anakin smiled. "Good job, Leia."

Leia didn't reply or even acknowledge Anakin's reply. She merely picked up the key and turned to the door. Inserting the key into an opening, she twisted. The tangled metal slithered apart, and she pulled the door open. Anakin sighed heavily.

"First challenge down!" Jenny shouted optimistically.

Beneath the door was a narrow staircase, but only the first few steps were visible. The rest were swallowed up by darkness.

"Metria, can you turn into a firefly again?" Luke asked.

"I'm Mentia, flyboy, not Metria, and no, I'm not obligated to help you out," she retorted. "I'm not involved in the game, remember?"

"Then why do you insist on following us?" asked Leia, arching an eyebrow.

"'Cause when a demoness sets her sights on an attractive male, she doesn't give up very easily." She winked at Fett.

"Slut," Fett snarled.

"Prude," she retorted.

"I'll go," Anakin volunteered. "My shape-shifting talent isn't limited to dragons, after all. Any flying animal is covered."

"Thanks, Father," Luke said with a smile.

Anakin vanished, and in his place a glowing insect darted through the doorway and followed the steps, illuminating their way.

Fett hurried after him, the demoness hot on his heels, predictably. Xanth might be almost tolerable, he thought, without the promiscuous creature around. Despite her accusation, though, he was no prude. He simply saw involvement with another – be it physical or emotional involvement – as a complication to be avoided. He was content with life as a bachelor bounty hunter. He didn't need a mistress or girlfriend to tangle it up, especially a soulless nymphomaniac.

The staircase ended abruptly in swiftly flowing water. They were in a tunnel now, one that housed an underground river. The ripple and sigh of the rushing water reverberated from the walls and dulled every other sound.

"Now what?" asked Luke.

"Is the water safe?" asked Leia.

"Why don't you test it for us?" offered Mentia.

_/Mentia, have some tact/ _Anakin ordered, landing on Luke's shoulder.

"So what's our challenge?" asked Luke. "Do we have to swim upstream…"

"Wait a minute," Jenny said seriously, staring at the water. "Something's not right." She bent down and touched the water's black surface with a fingertip.

"Is that wise, Jenny…" began Leia.

She lifted her finger, which showed no obvious change. "Everyone feel the water."

Fett pulled off a glove and held the bare hand under the water. The fluid slipping through his fingers felt oily and abnormally warm, and a rainbowed film of grease shone on the dark surface. When he inhaled deeply, he detected a weird chemical smell.

"It's polluted," he realized.

"Right," Jenny replied, wiping her hand off on her pants. "This is an aqua-fur, and I'll bet it's the one that brings water to the Good Magician's Castle and Castle Roogna, Xanth's capital. The surface of the water should be covered with fine clear fur, like a glass tiger. But someone's tainted the water and sickened the aqua-fur."

"Horrible," Luke murmured. "Can we fix it?"

_/The only way to fix the problem permanently is through Mundania/ _Anakin replied. _/Many of Xanth's waterways begin there. Unfortunately, the Mundanians are not careful with their waterways and have let many of them become fouled. Normally the gargoyles purify the waterways so as not to taint Xanth, but it appears this gargoyle has become lax in his duties./_

"Then we find the gargoyle and find a way to motivate him," Luke suggested.

"Our job is to solve the challenge, not fix all Xanth's problems," Fett snarled.

"You don't have to help if you don't want to, Fett," Luke told him. "But we're not going any further until we do something to help purify the aqua-fur."

He rolled his eyes, but thanks to the helmet the gesture went unseen.

"Where would this gargoyle be?" asked Leia.

"Probably at the head of the aqua-fur, where it enters Xanth," Jenny replied.

"Stang," Luke hissed, and the water bubbled ominously for a second. "We can't trek all the way back to the beginning to find a gargoyle."

"Maybe we don't have to," Jenny replied. "Maybe there's a way to contact the gargoyle without leaving this tunnel."

Luke puzzled over that for a moment. Then he turned to Fett.

"You had something with you that helped you defeat Com Pewter. What was it?"

Fett drew it out of his pocket. "It's the Germ of an Idea. A sorceress explained it to me." He handed the Germ over.

_/Careful/ _Anakin warned. _/The Germ can only be used a certain number of times, after which it loses its power. And if you keep it too long, it can sicken you./_

Luke touched the Germ to his head. His brow furrowed in concentration.

"Mentia, I need you to turn into…" he began.

"Nuh-uh, Lukey," she retorted. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm – not – anyone's – Companion! I don't have to help you if I don't want to!"

Luke shrugged, handing the Germ back to Fett. "All right then, I won't ask you. You probably couldn't turn into what I had in mind anyway."

Mentia glowered. "I can turn into anything, mush-head."

Fett chuckled softly. Luke had the right idea now. Trying to appeal to Mentia's nonexistent good side was useless – he had to appeal to her pride to get some use out of her.

"Oh, I don't think you could turn into a grapevine…"

"Of course I can!"

"Sorry, but maybe if you showed me…"

"Ha!" she crowed, and her body lengthened to stretch down the tunnel in the direction opposite the river's flow. She became a woody vine that clung to the tunnel wall, burgeoning with leaves and creepers, and a cluster of plump violet berries hung from one end.

Leia stared a moment. "Okay, I give up. Where's the pun?"

"Don't you know the phrase 'heard it through the grapevine?'" asked Jenny.

Leia shook her head.

"Oh well. You must not have grapevines in your galaxy. They're great communication tools. You just talk into the bunch of grapes there, and whoever's on the other end can hear you."

Experimentally Luke put his mouth to the cluster. "Hello?"

A snore reverberated down the vine and issued from the grapes.

"Hello!"

Whoever was on the other end snorted and coughed. "Hngh? Whazzat?"

"Is this the gargoyle that's in charge of the aqua-fur?" asked Luke. "Your water's pretty filthy…"

"Yeah, yeah," came the reply. The gargoyle uttered a few choice words that made some of the grapevine's leaves wilt. "Just don't tell anyone I fell asleep on the job, or I'm in for it. Okay, purifying the aqua-fur…"

The water brightened, then bristled with diamond-clear fur. The foul chemical odor dissipated, and the air around them became chilled as the waters resumed a more normal temperature.

"Thanks," Luke told the gargoyle. "By the way, which way to the Good Magician's Castle?"

"Follow the aqua-fur. Just jump in and go with the flow; it's not deep."

"Thanks again…" Luke began.

The grapevine contracted, becoming Mentia again. Finding Luke's face close to hers, she grabbed his head before he could back away and planted a huge kiss on his lips. Leia and Anakin responded with alarming speed – Leia pulled Luke away while Anakin took on the form of a hissing winged snake.

"Geez, don't get so temperamental," Mentia grumbled, backing away.

Fett smiled. At least it was Skywalker and not himself.

The gargoyle had been right – when they entered the water and went with the flow, it carried them to a wooden door set on a stone island. The end of their journey… but didn't they still have a final task to complete?

Hauling himself out of the water, Fett examined the door carefully. It was simply standing in midair, looking as if it should fall over any minute. When he walked behind the door, he saw nothing – except, of course, the other side of the door. It apparently led to nowhere.

By this time everyone had hauled themselves onto the island, and they all took a minute to inspect the door.

"There's some kind of graffiti on this side," Luke pointed out.

Fett had a look. "It's a riddle. Curse it all, it's always riddles."

"Learn to appreciate riddles a little more," Anakin advised with a smile. "Then you might learn to appreciate Xanth as well. I know."

Fett glared at him. "When this insanity's all over, I deserve an explanation as to how you ended up here and why you like this blasted land so much."

"All in good time, Fett," Anakin chuckled.

Fett shook his head and turned his attention back to the writing on the door. It was written in some sort of white ink that had dripped and bled somewhat, but it was legible enough.

"_If I am lying, I tell you no lie._

_If I am truthful, believe me and die._

_What I say first is good but not true._

_What I say second is what you should do._

_Go from the north, but not from that way._

_Go forward, not backward, and you'll save the day."_

He checked his compass – the door with the painted riddle was facing south, so if he went through this side he would be entering from the north. But it said "not from that way…"

"This is going to take awhile," Luke realized. "I was never very good at riddles."

"I'll help you, Luke," Leia told him.

"Thanks…" he began, then grimaced and put a hand to his forehead.

"What is it?"

"I dunno… suddenly I don't feel so hot."

"Sit down," Leia urged. "Maybe you're just tired."

"Was it the Germ?" asked Jenny.

"I'm not sure," Anakin replied. "All the same, perhaps it's best if you got rid of it quickly, Fett."

Fett pulled the Germ out of his pocket, dropped it on the ground, and crushed it under his heel. If this thing caused sickness, it wasn't worth trying to use it to solve the riddle.

_/The first two lines are the key/ _he thought. _/"If I am lying, I tell you no lie." So if the riddle lies, it's actually telling the truth. And if it's telling the truth, it's lying./_

"_What I say first is good but not true." _So that was actually the truth. And the next line – _"What I say second is what you should do" – _would be a lie, even though it professed to be the truth. That left the last two lines.

"Go from the north, but not from that way," he said aloud. Whatever that meant… "Go forward, not backward…"

That was it! What the riddle said first – good but not true, though it was actually truth according to the first line – was the truth, and what the riddle said second – a truth that was actually a lie – was the key. They had to go through the south side of the door, but go through backward, so that they were facing north. It was all very confusing, but if it was the right answer…

"Go through the other side of the door," Fett ordered the others. "But go through back first."

"Are you sure?" asked Jenny warily.

"Positive."

"You first, scrapheap," Mentia advised.

"Gladly," he retorted, opening the door from the south side and backing through.

He emerged in what looked to be a library – disorganized and musty, but a library. Books crammed every floor-to-ceiling shelf, rose in column-like stacks all around, and littered the desk where a grayed, gnomish old man hunched in study. He looked up at Fett, regarded him quizzically over his spectacles, then returned to his text.

"I seek the Good Magician," Fett told him.

"Yes, yes, I know," the man grumbled. "I've known you were coming, though I didn't expect you all to show up at once." He flipped a page. "When you go back out, tell the others they don't need to come in. You all solved the challenges together, so you all get one answer."

"And what if we had separate questions?" Fett demanded.

"Don't try to trip me up, boy," the Good Magician advised grouchily. "You all seek the same thing, don't you? To win the game?"

Fett nodded slowly.

"Then you all get the same answer. Now voice your question."

"If you know the question already, you don't need me to voice it."

The Good Magician raised an eyebrow. "Do you want an answer or not?"

Fett snarled. "Where can we find the prize?"

"In the catacombs," Humphrey replied. "Now go."

Fett gave a magnanimous bow and turned to leave.

"And when you leave the aqua-fur, there'll be someone waiting for you by the door," the Good Magician said in brusque farewell. "Her name is Phillipa. Take her with you; you'll need her services."

"Who the hell is Phillipa?"

"Is that a second question?"

Fett snarled and left the chamber, wondering just who/what this Phillipa was and what use she could possibly be.


	8. Phillipa

**Part VIII – Phillipa **

It took a great deal of persuasion – and the promise of another kiss from Luke – to convince Mentia to assume the form of a plesiosaur and carry the group against the aqua-fur's current to the staircase. On the way, they discussed what Fett had learned from the Good Magician. Luke had been concerned that it would be another bizarre riddle like last time, but he found he needn't have worried.

"The prize is in the catacombs," Leia mused. "Where are the catacombs?"

"Oh, that's easy," Jenny replied casually. "Beneath Castle Zombie."

"Castle Zombie?" Leia repeated, making a distasteful face.

"That's where the Zombie Master and his family live," Jenny went on, as if talking about zombies was as completely natural as discussing what restaurant to visit for lunch. "As you can probably guess, the Zombie Master's talent lets him reanimate dead bodies. The catacombs is where he used to keep bodies that were waiting to be reanimated, but not many people bring bodies by anymore, so the catacombs sit empty most of the time. I think he rents them out now."

Anakin's mouth quirked in a grim smile. "Pleasant place to lease. I wonder how much the security deposit is."

Leia gave him the strangest of looks.

"I was only joking, Princess," Anakin assured her.

Luke remained silent during the discussion. Truth be told, he didn't trust himself to open his mouth – not because he feared he might make an inappropriate comment, but because ever since they'd begun the challenges he'd felt sick to his stomach. Right now his guts were rebelling to the point that, if he even attempted to join in the conversation, he'd only end up polluting the aqua-fur again. And to make matters worse, his head had just started pounding horribly.

Mentia reached the staircase, mercifully staying in human form until everyone could disembark. Maybe she was finally taking her responsibility as a member of the group seriously. But she unexpectedly shifted to scratch her side on the stone staircase, and Luke lost his balance and fell onto the stairs. The jolt of the fall sent fresh waves of pain through his skull and abdomen.

Anakin grasped his son's arms and pulled him upright. "Luke, are you all right?"

"Yeah," he assured his father, fighting the urge to be sick all over the man's robes. "Just a little dizzy, that's all."

Anakin gave him a penetrating look. As Luke looked into his father's eyes, he saw something startling – an unfathomable sadness laced with concern… and fear? Fear for Luke's health? Or that Leia, in her unreasonable anger toward him, might do something rash? Or something else?

Anakin held his wrist against Luke's forehead. "You're too warm, Luke. And your face is pale. I suggest you quit the game and see a doctor."

"Don't worry about me," Luke assured him. "What happens in Xanth stays in Xanth, remember? It can't affect me in the Galaxy Far, Far Away."

"I just want you to be safe," Anakin said gravely.

"I'll be fine. I can handle it. Besides, I have Xanth's best Companion on my side, don't I?"

The fear in his father's eyes flared brighter. Did Anakin not trust himself as a Companion? Or could he possibly be… but no, he couldn't be False. A False Companion wouldn't have cared if he were ill. It had to be that he was just having problems trusting himself with his son's welfare… which made sense, considering past events.

"Father," Luke told him, "you're doing just fine. I know you're out of practice concerning this whole fatherhood thing, but just give it your best shot."

Anakin smiled a little. "You have a gift for bringing out the positive in the negative, son."

"Are you two just gonna stand there all day?" demanded Mentia.

Anakin gave her a tolerant look. "At least Mentia had some redeeming qualities. Mentia's simply insufferable."

"Oh yeah? Well, you're a…"

"Don't start that, you two," Luke moaned. His headache, which had subsided a little during their talk, was throbbing to life again.

They continued to climb the stairs, reaching the open door and stepping into the afternoon sunlight at last. A short distance away, a creature was grazing in a patch of beefsteak tomatoes, apparently oblivious to their presence.

"Is that Phillipa?" asked Leia.

"There's only one way to find out," Jenny replied, setting Sammy down on the ground. "Sammy, find Phillipa!"

The cat trotted over to the tomato patch and sat down next to the creature's right front foot, pawing the leg gently to get its attention. The beast raised its head with a puzzled expression, and Sammy gagged violently and bolted for his mistress.

Luke had never seen a creature like this, either in Xanth or out of it. Her body was generally horse-like, with four long, strong legs terminating in metallic iron hooves, a long wide-eyed face, and pointed ears. But instead of the smooth hide typical of a horse, she was covered in deep blue-green scales edged in silver. Where a tail of swishing hair should have been was a reptilian tail tipped in a metallic blue spade, and where a mane should have been rose a row of wicked iron spikes like a punk teenager's hairstyle. Two sweeping horns of metallic blue arced out from her brow just before her ears, and when she opened her mouth rows of wicked pointed teeth and a gray forked tongue were visible. Blue-webbed wings furled from her shoulders, and her eyes…

The instant those cat-like eyes, glowing as green and bright as Luke's lightsaber, made contact with his own, Luke's stomach gave an agonizing lurch, and he and breakfast had to part company then and there on the grass.

"X(A/N)TH Almighty!" the creature exclaimed in a slightly raspy but strangely pretty voice. "I'm not that bad-looking, am I?"

"It talks," Fett said disbelievingly.

"Really," she replied acidly. "I could say the same about you, scrap-pile."

Fett gave a funny grunt when the creature's eyes rested on him, and he clutched his stomach. Unlike Luke, however, whatever he had eaten previously remained where it was.

Luke continued to retch. Two pairs of hands were on his shoulders now as both Leia and Anakin tried to help him.

"I'm fine," he assured them, coughing.

"I apologize," the creature told them. "It's my fault. You see, I'm part basilisk."

"Part basilisk?" repeated Anakin.

"Quarter basilisk, to be exact," she replied. "My maternal grandfather was a basilisk, which made my mother half-basilisk. I can't kill you by looking at you, don't worry, but if you make eye contact with me you will feel sick for a few minutes afterward."

"So if you're quarter-basilisk, what else are you?" asked Leia, an expression of amusement on her face.

"My grandparents were a centaur, a unicorn, a dragon, and a basilisk," she replied proudly. "I may be the only one of my kind in Xanth."

"Please don't tell me this thing's the Phillipa we're supposed to take with us," Fett groaned.

"Oh, don't sound so excited, iron-britches," she snapped. "And yes, I'm the Phillipa that's supposed to accompany you. I asked the Good Magician a question, and to repay the question I must help you in any capacity you require for the next year, or until he says otherwise." She bent her lower body in a bow, one foreleg fully extended and the other curled under her. "Phillipa Crossbreed, pleased to meet you all."

"Pleased to meet you," Luke replied. "I'm Luke Skywalker. This is my father and game Companion Anakin Skywalker, my sister Leia, her game Companion Jenny Elf, Jenny's cat Sammy, and our traveling companions Boba Fett and Demoness Mentia."

Phillipa smiled, though Luke found the sight of so many sharp teeth unsettling. "So where are we headed? What is your quest?"

"We're on our way to Castle Zombie," Jenny replied. "We're playing a game, and the prize is supposed to be in the catacombs."

"Castle Zombie," repeated Phillipa. "That's not far from here, is it?"

Luke frowned a little. This seemed way too easy…

"Then let's head for Castle Zombie," Leia ordered. "The sooner we make it there, the better."

"Castle Zombie should be this way," Jenny said, pointing roughly east.

As their unlikely group set off, Luke had some time to think. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to bring Leia to Xanth. He had thought that, just as the bizarre puzzles of Xanth had helped him deal with the aftermath of Bespin, they might help her deal with her own anger. And she would have seen Mother again… but he hadn't counted on Anakin being here! Nor had he realized she would so stubbornly cling to her anger.

_/Maybe it's a Skywalker thing. I can't claim that Father and I are no less headstrong…/_

His stomach turned again, and he had to sit down on the nearest rock, stricken with dizziness.

"Luke?" Anakin's hands clamped onto his shoulders. "What's going on?"

"I feel a little…" he moaned, but didn't dare continue. He placed a palm to his forehead and was startled at how hot and damp it felt. Whatever he had contracted, it was getting worse fast.

"You didn't look at him again, did you?" demanded Leia, turning to Phillipa.

"I can't sicken him just by looking at him," she countered. "He has to make eye contact with me, and he only did that once. Besides, it never lasts this long, not unless he was sick before…"

"The Germ of an Idea!" Leia exclaimed. "That must have made him sick!"

"Not only that," Anakin added. "Remember, he swallowed a bug while we were searching for the Good Magician's castle. I'm willing to wager that it was a flu bug."

"Geez, going for a triple, is he?" remarked Mentia, sounding amused rather than concerned. "Flu bug, Germ, and part-basilisk-stare all in one day. Trying to kill himself, is he?"

"I can send Sammy to find a healing spring…" began Jenny.

"No need," Phillipa replied. "I can help you."

Luke looked up to see Phillipa bow her head and plunge the tips of her horns into the earth. Water gushed and bubbled around her horns, pooling at her feet like liquid crystal.

"Let him drink," she ordered, lifting her head. "Quickly. It will help him."

"Are you sure?" asked Leia.

"She's here to help us, Leia," Anakin told her, and he picked Luke up and carried him to the pool. Laying him down at the bank, he scooped some water into his cupped hands and offered it to Luke.

The instant Luke sipped the liquid, his stomach calmed. Strength returned to his limbs, and he pushed away Anakin's hands and took another drink on his own. Once he'd drunk enough to eliminate his headache and fever for good, he stood.

"Thank you, Phillipa," he told her gratefully.

"My pleasure," she replied with a nod, careful to avoid meeting his gaze.

"So your magic talent is making healing springs," Jenny marveled.

"Not quite," Phillipa replied. "My talent is making magic springs of any kind. Love springs, hate springs, bed springs, healing springs, poison springs, Fountains of Youth, pools of wisdom… if you can imagine it, I can create it."

Luke whistled. "Pretty strong talent."

"On our way to Castle Zombie, maybe you can tell us a little about yourself, Phillipa," Jenny suggested.

Phillipa's body structure wouldn't allow her to shrug, but something about the movement of her wings indicated a similar gesture. "Not much to tell. Born to crossbreed parents, moved out on my own once I came of age, asked the Good Magician where I could find a suitable husband, was assigned to help you fellows, and here I am."

"Did he give you an answer?" asked Anakin.

"Yes. He said I would find my future husband when I faced the Crypt Keeper."

"Who the bleep's the Crypt Keeper?" demanded Mentia.

"I don't know," Phillipa confessed. "But once I'm done with my service, I'm off to find him, wherever he is."

"We wish you luck…" began Leia.

There was a noisy clatter as Fett accidentally kicked a half-buried metal object. It skittered a few meters and came to rest, caked in dirt and grime.

"What's that?" asked Luke.

"I'm not sure," Anakin replied. "But if it's this close to the Good Magician's castle, it's probably important."

"Maybe he sent us something to help us in our quest," Jenny suggested.

Fett picked it up. "I've seen things like this before. They're used to chart or plot your direction when you have no compass or locater handy."

"Perhaps the Good Magician left it here to help us plot out a shorter or safer route to Castle Zombie," Leia theorized.

"We won't know until we try it out, will we?" asked Mentia, an adventurous gleam in her eye.

"If Mentia's eager to try it, I'd be concerned," Anakin remarked.

"Oh, what harm can it do?" Luke said casually. "How do you activate it?"

"Try telling it where you want it to lead you," proposed Phillipa.

Fett held the object in the palm of his hand. "We need a safe, short route to Castle Zombie and the end of our quest."

The object shuddered, then a beam of rusty-red light streaked upward, drawing a path through the sky and toward a just-discernable speck in the distance. Apparently they were to take the air route to Castle Zombie.

"Well, there's our path," Leia said reluctantly, obviously not pleased to have to rely on Anakin again. "Let's take it."

"Father, will you do us the honors?" asked Luke.

Anakin spread his arms, arms that lengthened into wings as he resumed dragon form. Luke hopped easily onto his back, wondering at how quickly he was growing accustomed to his father's shape-shifting ability. Even two years ago, when his father had first acquired this talent, it had seemed almost perfectly natural to Luke, even expected. After all, he was a Skywalker, and they belonged in the sky.

"Phillipa, coming?" asked Jenny.

"I'm not exactly built for riding," the dragon-horse replied. "Besides, what are these for?" She spread her wings like blue fans. "Fashion statement?"

Luke laughed. He liked Phillipa's sense of humor.

With a thrust of his hind legs, Anakin took to the skies. Phillipa took longer to get airborne, requiring a running start before she could achieve liftoff. Once they reached a suitable cruising altitude, they began following the trail marked out by their unlikely guide.

"Let me see that doohickey," Mentia demanded, reaching for it.

Fett held it out of her reach. "Knowing you, you'll botch it beyond repair."

"I just wanna look," she pouted.

"Fett, let her have it," Luke told her. "It's not worth it, trust me."

Very reluctantly, Fett relinquished the item. Mentia turned it over and over in her hands, muttering to herself.

Luke turned to Leia with a slight smile. "How are you, Leia?"

She gave him a relieved look. "I'm glad this is almost over. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"You're doing just fine, Leia."

"You don't know how hard it is, Luke, to be traveling in the company of the man you've hated for so long, knowing you're at least somewhat dependent on him…"

"Sure I do. I did it two years ago."

"What do you…" A look of understanding crossed her face. "Of course. After Bespin…"

"Yes, and it was the best thing I could have done. I faced him down. I was able to confront the source of my hatred and get answers to a lot of questions. Once I could do that, I no longer had reason to hate." He placed a hand on hers. "Talk to him sometime. It will help you heal. Trust me."

"Luke, I don't know…"

"What in chaos' name is THAT?" demanded Fett.

"That" was an expanding ring of rusty-red light just ahead, its interior blazing and swirling with fiery color. Their marked path swerved to the right of the dark red halo, leading on to the castle. Inexplicably, Anakin was veering off the path, toward the great disc of light.

"Father, turn!" urged Luke. "Go around it!"

_/I can't/ _Anakin replied. _/It's drawing me in/_

"Why are we still moving toward it!" demanded Leia.

"He says it's pulling him in!" Luke cried.

Mentia screeched a curse that turned the air black for a moment. "The Interface! There's a hole in the Interface leading who-knows-where, and we're headed right for it!"

Anakin screamed as a cruel force wrenched his wings forward. Luke gritted his teeth as the same hideous power seized his body, like a powerful magnet dragging him toward some mysterious doom. He could hear Phillipa's startled shriek and Fett's cursing, feel Leia's fingers digging into his arms…

Then he blacked out.

_Break…_

Fett had always had a gift for awakening in full command of his senses. Moments after opening his eyes, he had a blaster in his hand and was on his feet, scanning his surroundings. Memories of recent events came rushing back, though part of him desperately hoped it had been some insane dream…

No such luck. The bodies of his traveling companions lay all around him. The hole in the Interface – whatever that meant – had dumped them in the middle of an overgrown, weed-choked pasture dotted with skinny trees, with old-fashioned barbed wire fences at the perimeters and a black night sky overhead. Light from a full moon gave him enough illumination to pick out the unconscious forms of the others. Some distance away he could see a house, a few of its windows illuminated to indicate at least one of its inhabitants was home and awake.

Luke, Leia, and Jenny were sprawled in awkward positions in the weeds, unharmed but unresponsive. Phillipa and Anakin, the latter still in dragon form, lay with their legs and wings at bizarre angles, neither reacting to the firm kicks Fett applied in an attempt to awaken them. Mentia's material body was nowhere to be seen, though he figured he could safely assume that the snoring patch of mist a few paces off was the demoness' unconscious form. Only Sammy Cat was awake, pawing his mistress' body anxiously and howling his distress.

"Shut up," Fett snarled. "We need to find a way out of here…"

Sammy meowed cheerfully, happy to be able to help, and trotted off.

"Come back, you stupid…" snarled Fett. "Great."

He tried everything he could think of to wake up the others, shaking, slapping, kicking, shouting, even firing a few blaster bolts into Mentia's hazy form. Nothing worked. It seemed they had all fallen into some sort of coma.

The weeds behind him rustled, and he whirled, blaster ready. Someone was approaching. It might be a friend or a foe, but for now he'd assume the worst…

Sammy purred in a self-satisfied manner and twined around Fett's legs. The approaching woman, meanwhile, stopped a few meters from him, a flashlight in one hand, the other hand clutching a denim jacket closed around powder-blue pajamas. Nothing about her indicated malice or trickery… or even magic. She was just an ordinary woman, about twentyish with gray-brown hair and blue-gray eyes.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The woman almost smiled. "I'm gonna kill you, Magician Humphrey," she muttered to no one in particular.

"What?"

"Never mind." The beam of her flashlight rested a moment on the others. "You're gonna have to help me get them to the house."

"You haven't answered my question. Who are you?"

"Someone who can help. Now let's get these guys in the house."

"How do I know I can trust you?" He jammed the blaster into her breastbone.

"Just give me a hand, okay?" she replied, unfazed. "They've all been knocked out by the shock of passing through the Interface. You were too; you just recovered sooner because you don't have magic like they do. They'll recover, but I'd rather they did it in the house."

Somehow, her rational explanation convinced him. He holstered the blaster and bent down to pick up Jenny's feet.

Together they managed to haul Luke, Leia, and Jenny into the house, leaving Luke and Leia on a bed in the master bedroom and Jenny on a smaller bed in what appeared to be a child's bedroom. Even their combined efforts couldn't budge Phillipa, however, and they didn't even bother trying to shift Anakin's bulk. As for Mentia…

"We'll just hope they wake up before the sun rises and the neighbors see them," she said at last, shaking her head. "By the way, welcome to Mundania. I'm Kenya Starflight."

"Boba Fett." He nodded to her. "I think I deserve some sort of explanation."

"You'll get it. Follow me."


	9. Crypt Keeper

**Part IX – Crypt Keeper**

Luke blinked, puzzled. What had just happened? Where were they? The last thing he remembered was that great circle of light… something Mentia had called "a hole in the Interface"…though what she meant by that he had no idea…

He sat up and had a look around. He was in a bedroom, lying on a soft bed and surrounded by pale blue walls. The door stood open, and from the adjacent room came the sound of music and the smell of baked goods. His mouth watered – it had been awhile since he'd eaten, and the last thing he'd consumed had ended up on the ground anyhow, thanks to Phillipa. Not that she could help it, being part basilisk…

The next room was a living room, and it was a disaster area. Books and papers were strewn everywhere, and someone had dropped their purse, shoes, and yesterday's worn clothes on the couch. The music – a pleasant ballad that pleaded "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone" – came from a nearby stereo system that was surrounded by circular datadisks that had somehow gotten separated from their cases. He smirked. If Aunt Beru had ever gotten a glimpse of this house, she would have freaked out.

He didn't like to think of himself as the nosy type, but he had a look at the books on the floor anyhow. Someone was researching, that much was certain, for many of the books concerned the same topic – _Book of Revelations From A to Z, Understanding the Book of Revelations, From Eden To Armageddon, Prophetic Warnings of the Last Days, Behold I Come Quickly,_ and _50 Signs and Warnings of the Times, _to name a few. There were a few dissimilar books that stood out – _Demons Don't Dream, The Tower of Air, _and _Dragon On a Pedestal – _but the majority seemed to be about the end of the world.

_/Whoever lives here must be deeply religious, extremely paranoid, or both/ _Luke thought, stepping over the mess.

_/None of the above, Luke, only concerned with writing a story/ _came Anakin's reply. _/Rise and shine, sleepyhead. You're about to miss breakfast./_

_/Where are we? And who's doing all this research/_

_/We're in Mundania. And Kenya's giving us an explanation./_

The next room was a kitchen, where everyone else was helping themselves to freshly baked muffins, courtesy of their hostess. Anakin, Leia, Jenny, and Kenya sat around an oblong table eating, while Fett, who had obviously eaten away from the others earlier, was leafing through a stack of papers. Mentia, not needing to eat, amused herself with the various kitchen gadgets. Sammy sat on a counter with his face buried in a bowl of kitty chow, and Phillipa – how HAD the others managed to talk Kenya into letting her into the house? – stood in a corner, a few smears of red around her muzzle. Evidently, despite her equine shape, she was carnivorous.

"We thank you for your generosity, Kenya," Leia told her.

"No problem," she replied, giving Luke a polite wave. "Mom won't be happy about the missing steaks, but hey, how many times do you get to play hostess to a Xanthian crossbreed?"

"Hi Kenya," Luke greeted, sitting down and taking the muffin Jenny passed him. "How's life been treating you?"

"Not bad, not bad. Have the house to myself for the week. The rest of the family went to some cousin's wedding in Utah, and I had to work. But all to the good – I have more time to write the record of your exploits in Xanth for the Good Magician."

"So how is it that our magic still works here?" asked Jenny, taking a gulp of milk (which, odd as it seemed, was white instead of blue).

Kenya sliced a muffin in half and buttered a piece. "My best guess – which is only a guess, since the Good Magician never told me you'd actually drop by – is that, because I'm involved in Xanth affairs, the property my house sits on has become part of Xanth, at least temporarily. Not enough to pun-alize everything, but enough to make sure you're all comfortable here. If you had ended up anywhere else in Mundania, you would be magic-less."

"Ouch," noted Mentia as she pulled her head out of a food processor. "Demons exist only by magic. We were lucky."

"At least _you_ were lucky," Anakin murmured under his breath, no doubt wishing she had landed on the other side of the property line and snuffed herself out of existence.

Fett looked up from the papers he was examining. "You know everything else about us, though. You know our exploits, even our thoughts as we traveled through Xanth. Why would you not know that we would end up here?"

Kenya shrugged. "I just get my information from the night and day mares. They normally just bring dreams, but lately they've been giving me the facts I need to record your story. Maybe they didn't inform me of this because I would know about it anyway, without their interference."

"Do you know how to get us back?" asked Phillipa. "I mean, we're not stranded here, are we?"

"The hole in the Interface is still there," Mentia said. "We can just fly back through it."

Leia winced. "An experience I don't want to relive."

"Going from Mundania to Xanth is a lot easier than going from Xanth to Mundania," Kenya assured her. "Trust me. I've been to both places. And believe me, some days I'd much rather be in Xanth. It seems strange, but Xanth oftentimes makes more sense than Mundania."

Jenny frowned. "If there's a hole in the Interface, the King of Xanth and Demon Grossclout need to be informed. The Magicians and demons like to keep an eye on all the gates and portals leading into Xanth."

"I have a feeling there's more to the breach in the Interface than meets the eye," Anakin added. "Few things in Xanth are random. A hole opening in the Interface right in our path must mean something."

"A plot device," Kenya replied. "An object or event that helps move the story along. The hole in the Interface sounds like a plot device to move you to your next challenge."

"A plot device?" Jenny repeated. "Fett found one of those. But I thought it was used to point your way."

Kenya paused, thinking a moment. Then she laughed. "Plot device… double meaning… Xanth keeps surprising me. The plot device must have two uses, then – pointing your way and leading you to the next event in your adventure." She shook her head. "I was wondering what kind of plot device I would need to introduce you to your adversary…"

"Adversary?" repeated Leia, looking up from her muffin.

Her laughter died. "I was wondering how you would be introduced to him. Wara Werecorn told you of Magician Darius last time… and I guess it's my responsibility to tell you about your foe."

Luke leaned forward a little, definitely interested. So the plot device had led them to Kenya, who would in turn direct them to their next challenge. Their quest for the prize wasn't as cut-and-dry as it first appeared – they had to face a villain first, just like last time.

"The enemy is called the Crypt Keeper," she went on. "And his personal mission is to bring down the Interface."

Phillipa snorted in surprise. "The Good Magician told me I'd face the Crypt Keeper!"

"He's usually right," Kenya replied. "Anyhow, the Crypt Keeper is working in league with Com Pewter to hack into the Interface and bring it down. It's his opinion that the worlds of Xanth and Mundania shouldn't be kept separate – he thinks everyone should enjoy the benefits of both worlds. He doesn't take into account that Xanth and Mundania are incompatible, that one will destroy the other if his mission succeeds. Personally, I don't want to see Mundania destroyed, but then again, I'd hate to see Xanth wiped out too."

"But why would he risk destroying Xanth, his own world?" wondered Luke.

"Because he's not of Xanth," Kenya replied. "He's Mundanian. He landed Xanth by accident years ago. And unlike most Mundanians, he came to Xanth with a talent – not a magic talent, but one that makes him dangerous nonetheless."

"Cryptography," Fett realized.

"Cryptography. The study of codes. He's a brilliant cryptographer, hence his title, the Crypt Keeper. If he can break into the code that makes up the Interface, he can alter it any way he pleases… or obliterate it entirely." She looked out the window, where the gaping rift in the Interface gleamed – odd, no one else in the neighborhood seemed to notice it. "This rift suddenly opening means that the Interface is weakening. New holes are probably forming as we speak."

Jenny gasped. "That's horrible!"

Luke stood. "Then we have no time to waste. We have to get back to Xanth and help strengthen the Interface. We can't let the Crypt Keeper…"

"Calm down, Luke," Leia told him. "We don't even know how to defeat the Crypt Keeper or repair the Interface."

"The author knows," Fett pointed out. "Ask her how to face the Crypt Keeper. After all, she seems to know everything else."

"Only the Good Magician knows everything, scrapheap," Phillipa shot back.

"Shut up, nag," Fett hissed.

"Both of you shut up," Luke ordered. "Let Kenya finish speaking."

"I'm done speaking," Kenya replied. "I've told you everything I can tell you."

"What!" screeched Mentia, dropping the toaster she'd been examining. "You're not gonna tell us how to defeat the Crypt Keeper!"

"Like I said, I can't tell you," Kenya replied, grimacing at the smashed toaster. "This challenge is yours to face. I'm forbidden from interfering. As it is, I'm probably in for it for telling you this much. This quest was put before you, not me, and it's you who have to use your wits to complete it, not me."

"Bantha poodoo," Fett snarled. "You're afraid. This Crypt Keeper has you cowed somehow. Or perhaps, since the two of you are Mundanian, you're in league…"

"Fett!" Anakin barked. "How in the galaxy can she be in league with the Crypt Keeper? She just got through saying she couldn't stand to see either Xanth or Mundania destroyed!"

"It could be a cover, a ruse," Fett countered. "She could be sending us straight into the heart of a trap."

Kenya sighed. She stuffed what was left of her muffin in her mouth, washed it down with some milk, and wiped her mouth.

"Do you guys know why I write about Xanth and the Star Wars universe?"

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks. "Um, no," Luke ventured.

"Because I'm a wimp, that's why. I know I could never live the adventures you do. I know I could never survive a day in either Xanth or your galaxy. I can barely figure out my home computer, let alone a hyperdrive or droid. I hate riddles, which is funny since Xanth's just one big riddle. I could never face the Emperor, or a dragon, or a droid army, or Com Pewter in real life. I'm a bookworm and writer, not an adventurer or hero. So the only way I can experience adventure in either of your realms is passively, through writing, through the characters.

"There's a price to pay for that, though. A writer can only get so involved in her story. If she inserts herself into the story, it's seen as a weird gimmick or the act of a bloated ego. If she creates a character meant to represent herself and inserts her into the story, the character's called a fake, a 'Mary Sue,' and the story loses its credibility. And seeing as a lot of people are going to be reading about your quest, both in Xanth and outside it, I can't get more involved than I have to. Heck, my readers are probably going to flame me about this scene anyhow."

"Then don't write it," suggested Jenny.

"I have to. Good Magician's orders. Everything about your quest has to be recorded. And I've already told you everything he's permitted me to tell. I can't tell you anything else that can help you."

"You mean you can tell us something else, but it won't help," Anakin countered.

She gave him an inscrutable look. "Demon X(A/N)TH is angry with you, Anakin. He wants revenge." She shook her head. "That's all. I've told you as much as I can. Besides, I'm going to be late for work as it is."

"You've helped us greatly," Leia assured her. "We'll be on our way."

"Take your time," said Kenya. "I've got to shower and get ready for work. I locked our cat in the downstairs bathroom so he wouldn't fight with Sammy; be sure to let him out before you go. Just don't let him outside."

"Yes ma'am," Luke said laughingly, saluting.

Kenya threw her wadded-up napkin at him, but she wore a smile as she did so.

As the others cleaned up the breakfast dishes, Luke slipped back into the living room. It couldn't hurt to have a glance at whatever Kenya was researching, could it?

It seemed that someone had beat him to the idea. Anakin was kneeling in the center of the mess and holding up a particular book.

"Find anything interesting?" Luke asked.

Anakin tilted the book to let Luke see the title – _From Eden to Armageddon: A Biblical History of the World in Classic Art and Illustration. _"She has something bookmarked in here. Shall we?"

Luke shrugged. "Why not? It may give us a clue as to what we're facing next."

Anakin flipped the book open.

Luke's jaw dropped.

_Break…_

The others were waiting for him in the field, ready to return to Xanth, but Anakin lingered near the front door of Kenya's house. He had a few questions to ask her before they departed.

"Need something?" she inquired, locking the door behind her. She was dressed in black overalls and a leopard-print blouse, and a bulky purse was slung over one shoulder.

"Who are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" he asked, deciding to be forthright.

She glared at him, seeming torn between laughter and annoyance. "Snoop."

"Being a snoop has kept me alive more than once," he replied blithely. "There was a rather frightening picture of the Four Horsemen in one of your books. Who are they, and what threat do they pose to us?"

"The Book of Revelations in our Holy Bible describes the events that will occur before the Second Coming of the Lord," she replied. "The book's so stuffed with fantastic metaphors and symbolism that it's often hard to tell exactly what's in there, but the gist of it seems to be that, whatever happens, it won't be pretty. The Four Horsemen are symbols from the Book of Revelations – chapter six, to be exact – and scholars disagree on what they're supposed to represent, though most think they're symbolic of the plagues of the Apocalypse – War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death."

"So in Mundania, they're symbolic. But what are they in Xanth?"

"You'll find out."

Apparently he wasn't going to get any more information regarding the Horsemen out of her. All the same, he definitely didn't look forward to their encounter with this threat. The illustration in the book had been frightening enough – white horse with a crowned archer as a rider, red horse bearing a swordsman, black horse whose rider carried a set of scales, and pale horse ridden by a black-robed skeleton, surrounded by a backdrop of ruined cities and storm clouds.

"But I have a feeling that's not all you wanted to know," Kenya pressed.

He stared out into the field, watching Luke and Phillipa laugh over some joke or other. "You know I am a False Companion."

"Of course I do."

"You know X(A/N)TH orchestrated it," he went on. "He means to have me betray my son. That is how he seeks vengeance."

"You got it right, Anakin."

"But why? What have I done to earn his wrath? I have done nothing to harm his world…"

"X(A/N)TH doesn't give squat about his world," Kenya replied. "He pretty much lets Xanth's inhabitants do as they please. If it wasn't for folks like Grossclout and the Good Magician keeping an eye on things, Xanth would have gone down the toilet years ago." She motioned for him to follow her to her car. "Besides, it's not what you've done – it's what you haven't done."

"What do you mean?"

"He wanted you to defeat Darius on your own," she reminded him. "Failing that, he wanted both you and Luke to fail, forcing a rematch. If you had killed Darius, he would have gained a boost in status and had the entire Star Wars galaxy at his disposal. But you and Luke worked together, and the one demon all other demons detested, F(O/R)CE, won the wager. The runt everyone else had bullied for so long had triumphed, and X(A/N)TH saw it as a slap in the face. That's why he wants revenge."

He sucked in his breath as a terrible thought jolted through him. "Does that mean Demon E(A/R)TH will seek vengeance against my son?"

"He won't. I'm sure of it. E(A/R)TH's used to losing, and when F(O/R)CE prevailed he wrote it off as a loss – not that he was very happy about it, mind, but it doesn't bother him enough for him to seek retaliation. But X(A/N)TH was on a winning streak before he lost this particular wager, so he's not taking it very gracefully. It wasn't just the loss of the gamble, it was the blow to his ego."

"And now he wants to make me suffer by forcing me to betray Luke," Anakin realized.

Kenya didn't reply, only gave him a sympathetic look.

He opened the car door for her. "I can't betray him, Kenya. I can't hurt my son. He saved my soul before I died. He has placed so much faith, so much trust, in me. I am bound, as a Companion, to follow the rules of the game, but how can I knowingly hurt him?"

Inexplicably, a smirk crossed her face.

"Anakin Skywalker, since when have _you _cared about following the rules?"

And with that, she got into her car and backed out of the carport. The last he saw of her was a plume of dust as the vehicle bounced noisily down the lane.


	10. Horsemen

**Chapter X – Horsemen**

Kenya had been correct – passing back into Xanth through the gap in the Interface caused no discomfort. But upon landing, the group had to concede that, at the moment, they had no idea where to go next.

"I say we go straight to the catacombs," Fett declared. "Get this quest over with."

"I dunno," Jenny said warily. "Somehow I get the feeling that it won't be easy to defeat the Crypt Keeper. Something tells me we're going to need help."

Leia nodded. "I agree. The Crypt Keeper already has Com Pewter on his side. Who knows who else he's recruited to his cause?"

Anakin gave her a surprised look. "This is a change of tune."

Much as she disliked admitting it, he was correct. Before their accidental visit to Mundania, she probably would have sided with Fett, if only to leave Xanth as quickly as possible. But now that she knew what was at stake, what stood to be destroyed if they failed, she realized they couldn't afford to be hasty and careless. Never mind that neither Xanth nor Mundania had anything to do with her or the galaxy she came from – she was not about to let another world be destroyed as Alderaan had been. And if saving either or both worlds meant being in the company of the man who had once been Vader a little longer… she could tolerate it.

"Kenya had some books at her house," Luke pointed out. "One of them had something in it called the Four Horsemen. Father was going to ask her about…"

"WHAT!" bellowed Mentia, shifting rapidly between the forms of a skeleton, a harpy, and a hippogriff before regaining control of herself.

"I've never heard of the Four Horsemen," Jenny said curiously. "I've heard of one Horseman, a werehorse that tried to take over Xanth years ago, but the Day Mare Imbrium killed him…"

"The demoness seems to know something about it," Phillipa pointed out. "Ask her."

Mentia spluttered and ranted a few more minutes. "This is bad, real bad, I mean REALLY, REALLY bad, people! This could be the end of Xanth as we know it! The Crypt Keeper's a blanking idiot! I mean, anyone wanting to bring down the Interface has to be stupid and reckless, but to involve the FOUR HORSEMEN! The guy has a death wish!"

"Mentia, who are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" demanded Anakin.

She inhaled deeply, brushed back her disheveled hair, rearranged her bosom, and started speaking. "The Four Horsemen are crossbreeds. Not just any crossbreeds, mind, but the four sons of the Night Mare Tranquility and the Demon Triment."

"Demon-night mare crossbreeds?" Jenny repeated, stunned.

"Yup. A powerful mix, seeing as demons pretty much run material Xanth and the night mares pretty much run the dream realm of Xanth. At least, that's what the Four Horsemen seemed to think. Of course, they thought a lot of things – such as that they were the rightful rulers of all Xanth, given their bloodlines. But Xanth's always ruled by a Magician. And since the Horsemen had no magic talents aside from the normal attributes of both demons and night mares, they hardly qualified."

"Or maybe Xanth was just prejudiced against crossbreeds," Phillipa put in.

"So the Horsemen tried to take Xanth by force. That didn't work, and both Demon Grossclout and the Night Stallion Trojan had the Horsemen banished to the Everglades, where they could do no harm."

"The Everglades?" repeated Luke.

"They're a never-ending swamp," Jenny replied. "If you wander into the Everglades, you'll never get out. There will only be swamp as far as you walk, fly, or teleport in any direction."

"But they must have escaped," Fett realized.

"They did," Mentia went on, looking sane for once as she spoke. "A hole in the Interface. It led them into Mundania for a brief time, where they could only exist as daydreams and visions. They managed to lurk in the dreams and inspirations of a group of people who ended up wandering into Xanth by accident. Once back in Xanth, they could take on their original forms and were free to wreak havoc once again."

"So they seek to take over Xanth?" asked Leia.

"Nope. Not anymore. Now they only seek to destroy Xanth. If they can't rule it, they want it dismantled down to the last moldy tangle tree. And they have a great army to do their bidding."

Anakin nodded. "That makes sense. They are symbols of destruction in Mundania; thus, they are capable of great destruction in Xanth."

"And here's the clincher," Mentia added. "The Horsemen were last seen near Castle Zombie."

Luke drew in a sharp breath. "The catacombs."

"The Crypt Keeper," Phillipa realized. "They're in league with the Crypt Keeper."

"And he's obviously ignorant of their true intentions," Fett added. "He has made dangerous allies."

"Very dangerous," Jenny agreed. "We're really going to need help to fight the Four Horsemen."

"The question is what kind of help," said Luke.

Fett pulled the flute Jenny had given him from a belt pouch. "According to the elf, this will summon the imp army."

"Can we be sure they'll be enough, though?" asked Leia. "Mentia, how big is the army of the Four Horsemen?"

"How should I know?" she shrilled. "I've never seen it!"

"Then we should prepare for the worst," Luke decided. "Jenny, can we use Sammy?"

"Of course." She set the cat down.

"Sammy, we need to find help in order to defeat the Crypt Keeper and the Four Horsemen. I know that's not a lot to go on…"

Evidently that didn't deter the cat. He mewled once and trotted off.

"What a remarkable animal," marveled Phillipa.

"He's great, isn't he?" asked Jenny, smiling. "He can find anything except home." She frowned slightly at that, but soon composed herself.

When Sammy finally stopped, it was at a great plain criss-crossed with the strangest roads Leia had ever seen – long, thin metallic rails laid atop thick beams of wood. Massive, groaning vehicles slithered along these tracks like great iron snakes, some belching smoke and others blaring horns. Alongside the nearest track was a large station-building of some sort, apparently abandoned. A wooden sign hung creakily from an eave on the building, reading in faded blue letters "Train of Thought Station."

"Um…" Luke was at a loss for words.

"Trains of thought aren't very common," Jenny explained. "But they're convenient for long journeys, and especially useful when you have some deep thinking to do before you get to your destination. But you need a ticket to get on, and I'm not sure how to get them…"

"Figures," Fett grumbled. "It's another challenge, isn't it?"

"Oh, cheer up, sweetie," a sultry female voice encouraged as a bizarrely dressed woman with frizzy orange hair and cat-eye glasses stepped out of the station, smiling fondly at Fett. "This one's a piece of cake compared to the riddle of the door – which you solved pretty well, considering you supposedly hate riddles."

For the first time Leia had seen – and perhaps the first time in the hunter's life – Fett jumped in shock. "Stang it all to chaos, not you again!"

"You mean you know this woman?" asked Anakin, laughing.

"It's not funny!" Fett spat. "Her name is Alto…"

"Sorceress Alto, pumpkin," she corrected. "Get it right." She dug into a pocket on her skirt and pulled out seven tickets. "Okay, the Good Magician ordered me to buy tickets for all seven of you. Seven tickets, seven destinations where you can find potential armies to fight the Four Horsemen. Lucky number, seven is." She held the tickets in the air. "But to get them from me…"

"Another riddle," hissed Fett, the words dripping with loathing.

"Nope, not this time." She tucked them back into her pocket. "This time it's a game-ordered challenge – and let me tell you, it's a doozy!" She said this with a delighted air, like a game-show hostess announcing a contestant's next contest.

Leia winced. More puzzles, more challenges… why couldn't things just be simple for once?

"You're bluffing, Sorceress Alto," Luke said with a smile. "You're way too eager. If the challenge really was as terrible as you say, you wouldn't be smiling like this."

"Fine, I lied, here's your tickets," she retorted, passing them out. "A Sorceress has to get her fun somehow… but you'll meet more challenges when you get to your destinations, so don't get too comfy."

Written across Leia's ticket was her name, the number of the train she was to board, and her destination – someplace called Centaur Isle.

"Centaur Isle?" Luke read aloud, looking over her shoulder. "That's one place we didn't go last time." He held up his ticket, which read "Ogre-fen Ogre-fen."

"Oh boy," Jenny said apprehensively. "Mine says I'm going to Castle Vortex. Home of the Curse Fiends."

"Who are the Curse Fiends?" asked Luke.

"Humans who all share one talent – the ability to curse someone," Anakin replied. "They live in Castle Vortex, an underwater fortress beneath Lake Ogre-Chobee."

"Lucky," Mentia whined. "I'd love to go somewhere where I can curse freely." She held up her ticket. "I got stuck with the Dream Realm."

"Where are you going, Father?" asked Luke.

He let the others see his ticket, which read Mount Parnassus.

"Wow," breathed Jenny. "Mount Parnassus has a rich history. I wish I could go there. Fett, where are you off to?"

"Imp Ire," Fett replied. "Which seems pointless, seeing as I already have the flute…"

"Maybe there's another reason why you need to go there," Luke theorized. "The Good Magician always seems to know best."

Phillipa took her ticket from Alto with her teeth, set it on the ground, and held it in place with a steel fore hoof to examine it. Her green eyes flashed sickeningly when she saw her destination.

"I refuse to go," she snarled. "Not there."

Leia looked at the crossbreed's ticket. "Where's Lake Eerie?"

"Up in northern Xanth," Anakin replied. "When Luke and I first came to Xanth, we traveled there. It is a haven for crossbreeds who are not acceptable in their parents' cultures."

That didn't make sense to Leia. If the lake was supposedly a sanctuary for mixed breeds like Phillipa, why was she so reluctant to go? Did she know something about Lake Eerie that Anakin didn't? Had she committed some crime there and been exiled?

"Sorry, hon, but there's no changing what's on your ticket," Alto told her. "And no swapping of tickets, either. Good Magician Humphrey chose your destinations specifically for each of you…"

"Well, you can tell the Good Magician just where he can shove it, then," Phillipa growled, and she ground her ticket into the dirt with her hoof and turned to go.

"Wait!" Luke shouted. "You can't go! The Good Magician assigned you to us."

"I can do as I please!" Phillipa retorted with a hiss. "I'm not his slave, am I?"

"Your year of service…" Jenny reminded her.

"So what if I don't give the whole year of service!" she snapped. "Not like he can track me down and take back his answer, can he?"

"Let her go," Fett advised. "We don't need her…"

"We do need her," Leia shot back. "Why would the Magician have assigned her to us if we didn't need her?"

"Phillipa, what's wrong?" inquired Anakin. "Why do you refuse to go to Lake Eerie? What have you done that keeps you from going there?"

She glared at him, and Anakin paled slightly but gave no other sign of discomfort.

"What's it to you?" she snapped.

"Did you steal something from them?" he pressed. "Do you have issues with their leaders…"

"I was born," she growled. "That's what I did to earn their wrath. My very existence is what keeps me from going there. Refuge of peace for all crossbreeds, my eye!" Her lips curled back over gleaming fangs, a rather unsettling sight.

"And why would they not accept you among their numbers?" asked Anakin, undeterred by either her illness-inducing stare or her show of teeth.

She flattened her ears against her skull, keeping her teeth bared. "My mother was a basilisk-unicorn crossbreed who fled to Lake Eerie years ago," she replied. "My father… was a magician named Darius Dracotaur."

Jenny gasped. Luke's eyes widened.

"Who?" asked Leia.

"Darius," Luke repeated. "He was a half-dragon, half-centaur magician who was gathering crossbreeds to take over Xanth. Father and I killed him… but we had no idea he had a daughter!"

"So it was you who dealt the blow," Phillipa remarked, leveling her gaze on Luke now. The young Jedi grimaced and put a hand to his stomach.

"Stop it now!" Leia ordered, standing in front of Luke to block the dragon-horse's line of sight. Her own stomach lurched when she made eye contact with her, but she didn't move.

"Do you think I'm proud of having a power-mad sorcerer for a father?" snarled Phillipa. "Do you think it's easy for me to live knowing what he did – and planned still to do – to innocent people? I hated him as much as anyone else, perhaps more so! Look!" And she spread one wing, cocking it at an angle to catch the sunlight.

Leia felt a stab of sympathy. Scrawled across the membranes of her right wing were vicious claw marks, twisting and warping the formerly smooth tissue.

"He did that when I was a filly," she said caustically, "when I accidentally broke one of his prized swords. It never healed quite right, it's a miracle I can still fly with it." She folded the wing away. "He was a brutal beast. Oh, he could be kindly and charming when he wanted to recruit some unsuspecting crossbreed into his army or give his soldiers a pep talk, but otherwise his temper was as short as his ingenuity for new cruelties was long. Some say he killed my mother, though I'll never know, for I don't remember her."

Leia listened, stunned, to Phillipa's words. Some of them could have been her own – her own father had been cruel, brutal, even to his children…

"It was at his behest that I created Lake Eerie with my talent," she went on. "He wanted a body of water whose waters were so mysterious they would be almost unknown to the rest of Xanth. I was young and stupid and thought he would be proud of me when I accomplished the task, but I was wrong, of course. He never valued me as anything but another servant. In the end, I had to run away. I couldn't bear it anymore. And when I returned… he was dead. Another had taken his place, and I knew they would have no place for me, the daughter of Darius."

"I'm sorry…" began Luke.

"Don't you dare say that," Phillipa snarled. "How can you know what it's like to have a father who's a vicious, tyrannical killer? How can you know what it's like to walk through a civilized area and feel as if every eye is upon you, knowing who you are and expecting you to follow in your father's footsteps and embark on some damned fool idealistic crusade? How can you know what it's like to know that, somewhere down the line, someone might hold you responsible for what he did?" She averted her gaze, and Leia's stomach finally calmed down. "And who's to say I won't eventually turn to his ways? Who's to say it's not in me somewhere, deep down – the desire to take over Xanth as he tried to, the urge to torture and manipulate others like he did?"

Leia didn't know what to say. What could she say? If she hadn't known Xanth to be real and not just some game, she would have suspected that someone had programmed Phillipa's character specifically for Leia to encounter. For many of her own thoughts had just been echoed by the dragon-horse. She, too, was the daughter of one of the most infamous tyrants of her world. She, too, would have to bear that stigmata for the rest of her life, no matter what she did to shake it. She, too, felt exposed to the galaxy – even though few knew of her true bloodline, she couldn't shrug off the feeling that the entire galaxy watched her every move, expecting her to fall into her father's habits.

And yes, Leia had also considered the possibility that, somewhere within her, there might be the same powers and desires that had driven her father, a darkness she couldn't escape.

"Phillipa," Luke said evenly, "I do know how you feel. My father wasn't always the man you see before you now. He was once a leader of the Galactic Empire, a regime that held the entire galaxy in a stranglehold. And when I found out I was his son… it nearly tore me apart."

Her head snapped around to look at Luke again, intrigued. He flinched in pain but continued.

"I had to realize that, while I might not like who my father had become, I didn't have to let it affect who I was. Regardless of whose blood was in my veins, it didn't change the fact that I was Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. And regardless of who your own father is, it doesn't have to affect your own destiny, whatever that may be."

Phillipa closed her eyes, considering Luke's words. Luke flashed Leia a knowing look and winked; his words had been meant for her as well as Phillipa.

"I still think there'll be trouble if I try returning to Lake Eerie," she countered. "Some of the crossbreeds might know me…"

"But others won't," Jenny piped up. "And if you show them you mean no harm, they won't care who your father is, I'm sure."

Leia smiled. Jenny and Luke, the eternal optimists.

Phillipa sighed. "Well, if they boot me out, at least I know what their opinion is." She bent down and took her crumpled, dirty ticket in her mouth. "I guess the not-knowing's worse than the knowing."

With a great screech of brakes and blast of horn, a train pulled into the station.

"All aboard for Centaur Isle and Ogre-fen Ogre-fen!" announced Alto.

Luke turned to Leia. "Well, shall we try our luck?"

"Didn't General Kenobi used to say there was no such thing as luck?" asked Leia.

Luke laughed a little. "I miss him. I wonder what he'd think of this place."

Leia smiled and boarded the train, Luke close behind.

"I meant what I said, Leia," he told her. "You may not like Father's past, but you don't have to let it affect who you are. And you don't have to let it get in the way of a relationship. Please, just give him a chance."

She sighed in defeat. "When I get back from Centaur Isle, I'll talk to him. Satisfied?"

"Very much," he replied with a huge grin.


	11. Inversion

**Part XI – Inversion**

The train of thought's path was by no means straight – it looped and curved and meandered over hills and through valleys, across rivers and through gorges. For a time it even wandered through the Gap Chasm, passing a dozing, highly disinterested Gap Dragon on the way. Luke wondered if the beast would recognize him if he faced it, though he wasn't about to take the chance.

Leia was asleep in the seat beside him, her head pillowed on his shoulder. He smiled gently. When awake, she was a fierce warrior and untiring diplomat, but now, relaxed and dreaming, her features were almost angelic. Small wonder both he and Han had been attracted to her in the beginning – though her sassy attitude and almost total independence had also been a big draw.

He let his gaze drift back out the window, silent and thoughtful. He hoped that, the next time Leia and Anakin met, they could work a few things out. Anakin had worked long and hard to shed his dark past, and if they could just get Leia to forgive and forget, it would sever the final tie to his life as Darth Vader.

The train slid to a halt with a whine of brakes, and several creatures boarded – a troop of surly-looking goblins en route to another siege point, a centaur woman carrying a basket of dried thyme (at least she looked like a centaur woman – she moved so fast, on account of the thyme, he couldn't be sure), a chair-man garbed in a coat of arms that waved genially at Luke, and a young human man leading a bright pink horse on a halter.

_/Well, there's a horse of a different color/_ Luke thought amusedly. He was really going to miss Xanth when he finally had to leave. The quirky world had certainly grown on him.

"All boarding for Xanth's North Village," announced the conductor, a gaunt man who fizzled and crackled with energy. "There will be a two-hour layover at the North Village, after which this train will proceed to Centaur Isle. All those traveling to Ogre-fen Ogre-fen will be asked to transfer to a different train upon arriving at the North Village."

Leia roused at the announcement. "I suppose that means we'll be parting company for now."

"We have until we get to the North Village, though," Luke replied.

She looked out the window as they passed a great field of merry-gold flowers, which danced and glittered in the breeze. "I know you haven't been to Centaur Isle, but do you know something about it? I have no idea what to expect there."

"I've met centaurs before," Luke replied. "They're half-human, half-horse creatures. They're very intelligent and know a lot about Xanth's history, but they're not very tolerant of crossbreeds or of magic talents among their own kind. The two centaurs I've met had been exiled from Centaur Isle for being born with talents."

"That's cruel."

"Yeah, but it's been their way for years. I don't think it can be changed in one visit."

She smiled slightly. "You know me too well, Luke."

He laughed. "I know you've fought for freedom and equality for years. Of course you'd want to teach the centaurs tolerance. But believe me, for all their stubbornness, you'll have an easier time dealing with them than with ogres."

She raised an eyebrow. "They're that bad, are they?"

"Oh yeah. They're the ugliest creatures in Xanth – and proud of it, too – and they eat anything they can get their hands on. Don't worry; they're not that hard to outsmart. I've handled them before, so I'll be fine."

"Just stay out of trouble," she encouraged. "You don't have your Companion to pull you out of a mess this time."

"Neither do you, so stay out of trouble yourself, Leia."

"Yes sir!" she barked, giving a mock salute.

He punched her shoulder playfully, laughing.

The train slithered to a halt once again.

"We have now reached the North Village," the conductor announced. "All passengers heading for Ogre-fen Ogre-fen will now disembark and board…"

The entire train shuddered abruptly as something huge impacted outside. Everyone rushed to the windows and crowded around for a good look, pressing faces and snouts to the glass. Luke and Leia pulled down their own window to get a better look.

"What was that?" demanded a goblin.

"Something big, that's all I know," replied the chair-man.

Outside the motionless train lay the relatively quiet North Village. Between the village's train-of-thought station and the tracks gaped a deep crater, still smoking slightly. The object that had smashed into the ground was just barely visible at the bottom of the hollow, glowing with heat.

"What is it?" asked Leia.

"I don't know," Luke confessed. "I haven't seen anything like it…"

A voice issued up from the depths of the crater, a pleasant male voice that began rattling off a lengthy, rather unnecessarily technical monologue:

"…we can expect a lot of moisture thanks to the low-pressure front coming in off the coast, and over the North Village there's going to be an inversion, so those citizens will do well to keep burning to a minimum… expect highs in the upper nineties-low hundreds for the weekend…"

Luke and Leia exchanged a look of understanding, putting two and two together. The pun clicked in both minds simultaneously, and they burst out laughing.

"Meteor-ologist," Luke chuckled.

"I think I'm beginning to enjoy this place," Leia laughed. "Puns and all."

"I thought you would."

"I will repeat, anyone bound for the Ogre-fen Ogre-fen should transfer to the other train immediately," the conductor announced.

"That would be me." Luke stood and picked up his pack. "Stay safe, Leia."

"You too, Luke." She embraced him. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you."

No one else accompanied Luke as he left the train and boarded another. Few enough dared venture into the Ogre-fen, and for good reason. Ogres were incredibly dangerous in spite of (or even because of) their enormous stupidity. He would have to trust that his experience gleaned from his last jaunt into their territory would be enough.

As his train pulled out of the station, he wondered why he was bound for the Ogre-fen in the first place. Would he actually be trying to recruit the ogres in a battle against the Four Horsemen and the Crypt Keeper? Or would there be someone else there, a magician or warrior, who could help them? Perhaps the three Mundanians they had met on their first journey would be there; he was certain they could be of help…

Hours later, the train lurched to a halt, jolting Luke out of a foggy reverie.

"Now arriving at Centaur Isle," the conductor announced. "Last stop, everyone off."

He rubbed his eyes and shook his head vigorously, confused. Centaur Isle?

"Off the train, kid," the conductor ordered. "This is the last stop on the line."

"Um… I thought this train was going to the Ogre-fen…"

"Does this look like the Ogre-fen to you?" the conductor inquired. "Look, I'm not getting paid to stand around and watch you make stupid remarks. Off the train."

Bewildered, he looked out the window. The disorderly jungle that surrounded the Ogre-fen was absent, replaced by rows of neat, tidy stables and clean streets filled with the strange-looking centaurs. Something was seriously wrong… this wasn't where he was supposed to be… he should be at the Ogre-fen, but somehow he had ended up here instead of Leia…

Terror gripped his stomach. If he was here in Leia's place, did that mean Leia was at the Ogre-fen in his place?

"Hey you!"

Luke whirled, lightsaber in hand. Two centaurs had boarded the train and now faced him, arrows notched in his direction.

"This gentleman refuses to get off the train," the conductor explained. "Keeps insisting he was supposed to get off at the Ogre-fen."

"Perhaps he boarded the wrong train," suggested one centaur.

"Not likely," the second centaur countered. "Your departure point was the North Village, you say? Hmm. They're experiencing an inversion now. That might factor into this…"

"An inversion?" asked Luke.

"An inversion occurs when meteorological conditions keep a layer of hot air trapped next to the ground," the first centaur explained. "This prevents air pollution such as smoke from rising and dissipating harmlessly into the atmosphere as it should. Inversions can prove especially dangerous if, for example, someone has been burning reverse wood. The airborne particles of reversing magic the burning wood releases can cause dangerous inversions in magic talents, pathways, and even personalities."

"Oh brother," Luke groaned. "So there was an inversion in the train routes. The train bound for the Ogre-fen ended up here, and the train bound for Centaur Isle…"

"Ended up in the Ogre-fen," the centaur finished.

Fear gripped Luke's gut. "My sister's on that train! If she ends up in the Ogre-fen…"

"At ease," the first centaur assured him. "The conductors of the trains of thought know how to handle such situations. They will see to it that your sister is safe. In the meantime, you will accompany us. It is customary for the elders of Centaur Isle to interview all visitors."

Luke hesitated, then nodded and put his saber away. At the moment he had no other choice than to comply with the centaur's wishes. He could resist, of course, but that would do no good. If he was stuck in Centaur Isle for the time being, he might as well make the best of the situation.

The two centaurs escorted him off the train and to a stable constructed of red-and-white marble, where a group of stately centaurs stood and gazed expectantly upon him.

"Your name, human," the lead centaur, a deep-chested sorrel, ordered.

"Luke Skywalker," Luke replied. "Jedi Knight. I'm here to request the centaur's aid in a mission to save Xanth."

The elders whispered amongst themselves. Luke wondered if he had been too bold. Leia should have been the one to handle this, he realized – her diplomacy skills far surpassed his.

"And how exactly is Xanth in danger?" inquired a rather fat but still dignified palomino.

"A Mundanian man called the Crypt Keeper has allied with the Four Horsemen," Luke explained. "They seek to bring down the Interface."

More murmuring, and a female centaur with a chestnut body and black hair and tail stepped forward to address him.

"Jedi Knight, this is a serious claim. If we find that this has been any sort of joke…"

"I'm telling the truth!" he said firmly. "Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Those not native to Xanth seem more than happy to joke about it," complained a rather young-looking centaur, one with a gray-dappled body and a face that looked oddly familiar.

"Believe me, I've been in Xanth before," Luke replied. "I wouldn't joke about this."

The sorrel sighed deeply. "Perhaps you should start at the beginning, Jedi Knight."

So Luke found himself relating the details of his mission again, pausing here and there to answer questions, which he answered to the best of his ability. The centaurs maintained respectful expressions and nodded at appropriate intervals, but Luke got the feeling they were pretty disinterested in whatever he had to say. Only the young gray centaur looked concerned.

"This shall be discussed," the palomino said at last. "Chas?"

The gray stepped forward.

"Our junior elder will escort you to a guest stable, where you may rest and refresh yourself. A servant will bring you food and drink. We will send for you when a decision has been reached."

Luke bowed, happy that they didn't reject him outright but doubtful that anything would come of their discussion. "Thank you, elders. May the Force be with you."

Chas Centaur led Luke just out of earshot before turning. "You've been in Xanth twice?"

"Yes, why?"

"And you've seen the Good Magician?"

"Twice… no, three times. Why do you ask?"

"Tell me…" His expression became desperately hopeful. "Did you encounter a gray centaur named Chang while at the Good Magician's castle?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, I remember Chang. He helped my father and I on a quest our first time here. The last time I saw him, he was engaged and living happily at Lake Eerie."

Chas smiled. "I'm glad he has found happiness. You see, Chang Centaur is my father."

Luke snapped his fingers. "Of course! I thought you looked familiar! And he did mention he had two sons…"

"Yes… but neither my mother nor my older brother claim him as a father anymore. If questioned, they say our father passed away." He pawed the ground anxiously. "But I dearly miss him. I wish I could see him again."

"If the elders send forces to help us fight the Horsemen, maybe you can ask to accompany them," Luke suggested. "Forces from Lake Eerie will hopefully join us. Perhaps your father will be with them."

"Perhaps… but I shan't get my hopes up." He gestured to a stall. "I know humans are not accustomed to our style of quarters, but it's the best we can do."

"It's just fine," Luke assured him.

"Good. Someone will be along with refreshment soon." He turned to go, then shot Luke a knowing look. "I'm young, and thus my voice doesn't carry much weight with the elders, but I will see what I can do to sway the vote your way."

"That would be appreciated."

Chas nodded and trotted off.

Some minutes later, a female centaur appeared with a tray of fruit and drink. Luke helped himself to a starfruit and a milkweed pod and nodded politely as the girl bore the tray away. He wondered how Leia was faring. Hopefully she was safe. He wished he could be there with her, but at the moment he had issues of his own to be worrying about.

He was somewhat surprised when the sorrel centaur appeared in the doorway of the stall some time later, a resigned expression on his face.

"We have conferred," he said haughtily, "and we have decided to send a small force of centaur soldiers to Castle Zombie to do battle with the Horsemen and their army. Chas Centaur will lead a company of fifty archers, and you will depart with them."

"Thank you for your aid, sir," Luke replied with a measure of relief. He had been worried that the centaurs, proud creatures that they tended to be, wouldn't lower themselves to help.

"Good luck," the sorrel wished him. "You shall need it. The Four Horsemen are not to be underestimated."

_Break…_

"Now arriving at Ogre-fen Ogre-fen," announced the conductor. "Last stop, everyone off."

Leia glanced up, startled, from the game of Lines and Boxes she was playing with a young goblin boy. The Ogre-fen? What in the galaxy were they doing here?

"Hey, wait a minute!" bellowed a cranky troll. "This train was supposed to go to Centaur Isle!"

"We apologize for the inconvenience," the conductor replied. "We will refund tickets…"

Shouts of fear and anger filled the train. Leia glanced out the window, bewildered. She had no idea what to expect of Centaur Isle, but surely this thick jungle, torn here and there from the passing of some huge creature, couldn't be it. What had just happened? Why was she here instead of…

A pair of enormous legs emerged from the jungle.

"Ogre!" screeched a goblin. "We're all gonna die!"

"Settle down, everyone," the conductor encouraged. "We're prepared for emergencies like this. If everyone stays in the train, they should be safe…"

The floor underneath Leia lurched, and everyone tumbled out of their seats and to the floor. Hysterical screaming drowned out all other sounds. Leia shoved a harpy off her lap, disentangled herself from the flailing legs of a centaur, and got to her feet.

She froze. Peering through the window was an enormous bloodshot eye.

"See she!" a thunderous voice declared.

More screams met that statement.

"How neat," the ogre went on, and a hideous grinning mouth that dripped with spit came into view. "A treat." The mouth opened wide, revealing a disgusting wet cavern of yellowed, broken teeth and remnants of last week's meal. Leia's stomach lurched from both fear and revulsion. Never mind that death in Xanth wouldn't mean death in reality; the thought of being devoured by an ogre was still too horrific to consider…

A great scarlet circle appeared on the ceiling of the train, then dropped to the floor. Leia blinked, startled. Where there had been empty space a moment before, there now stood a tall man in rough brown robes, a baggy hood totally obscuring his face. In his deathly pale hands he carried a wooden board on which a message had been painted, and this he held up to the window.

PUT THE TRAIN DOWN.

The ogre's mouth snapped shut. "I eat! Now beat!"

The hooded being flipped the board over. To Leia's amazement, he began tracing words onto the board with his finger, words that were formed of a thin white paint that dripped and bled slightly.

IF YOU DO NOT PUT THE TRAIN DOWN, I WILL TELL THE GOOD MAGICIAN YOU HAVE BEEN UNJUSTLY HARASSING A GAME PLAYER.

The ogre said something that wilted the jungle all around, but carefully set the train back down on its tracks anyway.

The hooded man – if he was a man – set the board down, knelt on the floor of the train, and began writing another message.

YOU CAN GET OFF THE TRAIN HERE, PRINCESS. AS LONG AS YOU ARE WITH ME, THEY WILL NOT HURT YOU.

"Who are you?" asked Leia.

The creature shook his head and motioned for her to follow him. He picked up the red ring and hobbled off the train, leaning on the ring like a queerly shaped crutch.

As they left the train, Leia got a good look at the Ogre-fen Ogre-fen. There were few trees that hadn't been broken off halfway up, tied into knots or pretzel shapes, or otherwise mutilated. Vegetation had been squashed in foot-shaped swaths, and bits and pieces of bone and other matter whose origins she tried hard not to consider littered the ground. All around her ogres of all shapes and sizes lounged, eating, snoring, scratching themselves, or toying with a rock or tree until they worried it to pieces. All the ogres were at least five meters tall, though most were larger. And all of them were hideous enough to make Emperor Palpatine look like a beauty pageant contestant in comparison.

The hooded being led her past the reclining form of a hairy, snoring ogress and to a large flat rock that rippled slightly like a banner caught in the breeze – a flagstone, she thought amusedly. He laid down the ring, lifted one hand, and began writing upon the wall.

I AM KNOWN AS THE HOODED ONE, THOUGH MY FRIENDS CALL ME HOOD.

"Can I call myself your friend?" asked Leia.

Hood nodded. FEEL FREE TO CALL ME HOOD.

"Can you speak?" asked Leia.

NO. I AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO DIVULGE MY PAST, PRINCESS, THOUGH I WILL TELL YOU THAT I AM NOT A NATIVE TO XANTH. I AM HERE ONLY TO ACQUIRE AID FROM THE GOOD MAGICIAN FOR MY OWN PERSONAL QUEST. AS MY YEAR OF SERVICE, I WAS SENT HERE TO MEET LUKE SKYWALKER AND HELP HIM MAKE A DEAL WITH THE OGRES. I WAS NOT EXPECTING HIS SISTER.

"There was an error of some sort," Leia replied. "I'm not sure what."

He shrugged. ONE SKYWALKER IS AS GOOD AS ANOTHER, he wrote. IF LUKE IS NOT HERE, I WILL HELP HIS SISTER.

"Thank you," Leia replied.

IT WILL NOT BE EASY, Hood continued. THE OGRES MAY NOT BE INTELLIGENT, BUT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CODE OF HONOR. AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WIN THEIR AID AGAINST THE FOUR HORSEMEN UNLESS YOU CAN WIN A CONTEST AGAINST THEIR LEADER.

"What sort of contest?" she asked nervously.

A CONTEST OF FEAR. HE WILL ATTEMPT TO FRIGHTEN YOU. IF YOU SHOW FEAR, HE WILL EAT YOU. IF YOU SUCCEED IN SHOWING NO FEAR, YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO FRIGHTEN HIM. IF YOU SUCCEED, YOU GAIN THE OGRES' ASSISTANCE. IF YOU FAIL TO SCARE HIM, YOU GAIN NOTHING, BUT ARE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE OGRE-FEN UNSCATHED.

She took another look at the ogres. Just looking at them was enough to make the hair on her neck stand up. But if this was what it took to gain allies…

"Very well. I accept the challenge."

He nodded. I WILL FETCH THE LEADER. HAND ME THE BENDER RING, PLEASE?

She realized he was referring to the red ring, and she handed it to him. "What is this?"

THE BENDER RING. IT LETS ME TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN AN INSTANT. IF YOU LIKE, CALL IT MY TALENT. He lifted the ring over his head, then let it fall. It passed over his body, making him vanish as if it were erasing him from view. It landed upon the ground, then disappeared. There was no trace of the Hooded One, save his white writing on the flagstone.

Leia smiled. At least she couldn't claim that Xanth was boring.

A ghastly roar ripped through the forest, and the ogres perked up at the sound. That bellow was followed by another, like the explosion of a detonator, and ground-shaking footsteps thudded closer. From the trees burst an ogre far more hideous than any of the others, screaming fit to wake the dead, fists raised and clenched, face a mask of drooling rage.

Leia forced back her first urge – the urge to scream and run – and faced the ogre. _/Remember/_ she told herself_/you've faced worse./_ Even this monster couldn't compete with the terror of the Emperor, Darth Vader, Jabba, the destruction of Alderaan, Han's freezing…

The ogre kept up the bellowing for a full five minutes before it realized it was having no effect. With a defeated sigh he flopped down, causing a minor earthquake as he sat.

"No fair, no scare," he grumbled.

A flash of red ring, and Hood appeared at her side. He gave her an expectant look – or as expectant a look as one can give through a hood.

Now was the time to put Luke's description of ogres to the test. Leia motioned for the ogre to put its head closer to hers. The giant got down on his hands and knees and placed a cavernous, wax-filled ear near her.

"The Horsemen are gaining strength," she murmured. "They seek to destroy the boundary between Xanth and Mundania. Soon Mundanian humans will come pouring into Xanth."

The ogre sniffed, unimpressed. "We meet, we eat. Ogres tall, Mundanians small…"

"But I know something about Mundanians that you don't."

The ogre rolled his eyes.

Leia was taking a wild stab in the dark here, but she trusted that Mundanians were as obsessed with outward appearances as people of her galaxy were. "You know, Mundanians are constantly doing things to make themselves beautiful – makeup, plastic surgery, implants… and who knows? They may be so full of chemicals and cosmetics that anyone who eats them will become beautiful themselves."

The ogre's eyes went wide. A look of horror came over his face. He gave an incredible yelp and jumped to his feet. The resulting quake nearly knocked Leia and Hood off their feet.

"We fight! Tonight!" The ogre leader turned to his brethren and pumped a broken-nailed fist in the air. "Horsemen die! Mundanians goodbye!"

All the ogres bellowed agreement, the idea of an invasion of humans they couldn't even devour without becoming repulsively beautiful too horrible to bear.

Hood found a blank spot on the flagstone and wrote a little more. WONDERFUL JOB, PRINCESS. THE OGRES WILL TAKE YOU TO CASTLE ZOMBIE. I'M SORRY THAT I MUST LEAVE YOU NOW, BUT YOU HAVE NO MORE NEED OF ME.

"Will we meet again?" Leia asked. She had only known Hood a few minutes, but she was still going to miss the strange but helpful being.

MAYBE SOMEDAY. He hesitated, then continued writing. BEWARE, LEIA. ALL IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS IN YOUR FIGHT. BE CAREFUL.

Before she could ask Hood what he had meant, he raised the Bender Ring over his head, dropped it, and was gone.


	12. Actors

**Part XII – Actors**

"Now arriving at Lake Ogre-Chobee," announced the conductor.

Mentia and Jenny exited the train together and stood upon the shores of the lake. Castle Vortex, the home of the Curse Fiends of Xanth and Jenny's destination, lay beneath the waters of the lake. And just a few meters offshore grew a thick tangle of hypnogourd vines – the gateway to Mentia's destination.

"We're here," Jenny breathed in relief, stretching arms and legs long cramped from sitting in the train of thought for so long. "Now to find a way down to the castle…"

"Something's up with Anakin."

Jenny turned, startled, to look at Mentia. "What?"

"What, you didn't notice?"

Jenny shook her head. "No, I didn't, actually. But why are you bringing it up now?"

Mentia shrugged, her shoulders raising past her ears. "Didn't cross my mind until now."

"So what do you think is up?"

"I dunno. He just gets this funny look on his face once in awhile, like a poor sap cornered by the Gap Dragon. And it only happens when Luke's around."

Jenny frowned. "Last time we played the game together, I couldn't see Anakin's face, so I don't know if that's normal or not. Still, it could mean something. Maybe he knows something about the quest that we don't. After all, he spent more time talking about the Horsemen and Crypt Keeper with Kenya than the rest of us…"

"Or it could mean he's a…"

"Of course he's not, Mentia! He could have let Luke lose the game a long time ago, and he hasn't. If he's a False Companion, then I'm a harpy."

Mentia shrugged. "Whatever."

Jenny pointed at the hypnogourds. "C'mon, let's hurry with our parts of the quest so we can meet the others."

Mentia humphed. She didn't like being roped into this quest in the first place. She wanted to be off teleporting around Xanth, seducing naïve young village lads, pulling pranks on the unsuspecting, popping in unannounced on her better half Metria, and in general raising havoc – not traipsing around with the weirdest collection of freaks she'd ever seen. True, it had been great fun at first, especially as there had been two halfway-good-looking unattached men in the group. But now she was thoroughly bored with this whole saving-Xanth business and just wanted it over with.

"Go on, look in the gourd," Jenny encouraged.

"I don't wanna," she whined. "I don't fancy getting stuck in the dream realm forever…"

"It won't be forever," Jenny replied. "When I get back from Castle Vortex, I'll cover the gourd and break the trance for you. How does that sound?"

"Horrible," Mentia replied. "But if Xanth gets destroyed, I won't have anywhere to wreak chaos, so I suppose I'd better go."

"That's the spirit." From the strain in the elf's voice, it was taking all her willpower to maintain her sunny disposition and avoid falling into uncharacteristic sarcasm.

Mentia kicked a gourd so that the peephole was visible…

"Lady, get off the set!"

She looked around, startled. What was this place? It sure wasn't Xanth. Looking into the hypnogourd was always a gamble, for it dumped you into a randomly selected portion of the dream realm. And this randomly selected portion of the dream realm was enough to boggle even her half-crazed demoness mind.

Several dozen men and women were bustling about a spacious room, managing bulky equipment and stepping carefully over black wires that tangled about the floor like overly amorous snakes. Several large cannon-shaped machines (obviously primitive Mundanian cameras of a sort) were aimed at a cluster of costumed men who stood before a huge window. Beyond the window, rather than a view of the outside world, was a deep blue screen. Whatever was going on here was beyond her, but then, Mundanians were strange creatures.

"What is this hole?" Mentia demanded. "And who the bleep are you guys?"

The men in costume just stared. Most of them looked like overgrown imps, clad in white armor that gleamed in the bright lights. But dead center in the group was a being in glossy black, a majestic cloak lending him a regal air and a truly beastly mask glowering at her with the dignity of a sorcerer. Mentia looked him up and down appreciatively. Broad shoulders, deep chest, nice biceps, a truly demonic sense of style when it came to fashion… had she not been here on a mission, she might have propositioned this man on the spot.

"Who the bleedin' 'ell are you?" the man in black demanded in a strange accent.

"Hey, I asked first!" Mentia retorted.

"Lady, get off the set!" an obnoxious voice repeated. "We're trying to film a movie here!"

"Well, for your information, I'm here on an important mission!" she screeched in return. "We're assembling an army to fight the Crypt Keeper and Four Horsemen, and you fellas can either shape up and help us out, or I'll tell you where you can stick your stupid cameras!"

One of the white-armored men pointed to the side of his helmet and made a snide remark to his friends. They tittered with laughter.

"That's it," the obnoxious voice grumbled. "Security!"

"All right, all right, I'm goin'," she humphed, and took great pains to flounce off the set in as suggestive a manner as possible. When she passed the black-armored man, however, she gave him a wink and a pinch in the posterior. He jumped – which was quite a sight in itself – and backed away as if she were a zombie.

Waltzing out the door, she found herself in another bizarre location of the dream realm, though she at least knew about this one – the Dune Sea. Wave after wave of green-blue sand rose like rows of jagged teeth against the pink-tinged sky, and fish leaped and wriggled through the fine grains as easily as they would through water. Mentia flopped down on a dune and sighed, picking up a handful of sand and letting the aqua-colored material slip through her fingers. What good was coming here going to do if the dream realm's inhabitants didn't even listen to her?

"Miss?"

She turned. One of the men in white had followed her out of the studio.

"Whaddaya want?"

"Look, I'm sorry for the way we treated you back there," he said sincerely, having a seat beside her. "It's just that… you startled us, appearing out of thin air like that."

"What, never seen a demoness before?"

"Actually, no," he replied with a chuckle. "Read about them, though. I'm a big fan of Xanth, though I must admit Star Wars is my first love." He extended a hand. "Name's Douglas."

"Demoness Mentia," she replied, ignoring the hand and instead planting a huge wet kiss on the side of his helmet. "So what kind of dream creature are you? You're obviously not a night mare, so you must be a ghost or skeleton or brassie under that armor…"

He hesitated, then nodded. "I forgot to explain. The hypnogourd did something highly unusual when it transported you to the dream realm. Rather than take you to the place where dreams are actually constructed and prepared for delivery, it took you to a dream in progress. In short, you're intruding on my dream."

She blinked. "I'm in a Mundanian's dream?"

"Yup. Xanth and Mundania may be separated by the Interface, but their dream realms tend to overlap, sometimes a great deal." He laughed. "Actually, you're in a recurring nightmare of mine."

"If the night mares keep having to bring you the same dream, you obviously haven't learned your lesson from it."

Douglas laughed again. "I don't think there's a lesson in it. It's one of those good-dream-gone-bad kind of dreams, actually."

"Oh, those. Like when you dream that you and a beautiful woman meet at a love spring, but when the two of you drink the first thing she sees is your horse, or when you dream that you've found a stash of gold in the trunk of a tree, but when you reach in to claim it you discover the tree's a tangle tree."

"Yes, I hate those. I'd rather have a straight-out nightmare than this." He gestured to his chestplate. "In my dream, I'm cast as an extra in 'The Empire Strikes Back.' I get to rub elbows with some of the big actors, including my all-time favorites Dave Prowse and Anthony Daniels. But when I go to see the movie with my friends, all of us psyched about seeing me on the screen, we discover my big scene has been cut from the movie." He made a chopping motion with one hand. "I swear, I woke up with the shakes the first night I had that nightmare…"

"That's not even a horrible dream!" she protested.

"Lady, everyone has their definition of horrible," Douglas pointed out.

True, as far as that went. "But now I've gone and interrupted your dream. Now what?"

He shrugged. "I guess I wait until I wake up. In the meantime…"

She inhaled, making her bosom swell invitingly. "Yes?" she breathed.

"You mentioned a Crypt Keeper?"

She sighed, and her bosom deflated. Men who just wanted all talk, no action were boring. "I'm here in the dream realm to round up volunteers to fight the Crypt Keeper and his cronies, the Four Horsemen. The Crypt Keeper wants to bring down the Interface and let Xanth and Mundania mix. The Four Horsemen are helping him because they want Xanth destroyed, and they think destroying the Interface will do the trick."

Douglas gaped as well as one could gape through a mask. "The Crypt Keeper… wants to bring down the…" He reached up and rubbed the front of his helmet with both hands. "Good gravy…"

"What's your problem?" demanded Mentia. "This isn't your quest, why are you getting worked up over it…"

He looked at her gravely. "I know the Crypt Keeper, Mentia. We went to high school together."

It was her turn to gape. "WHAT!"

"He hated his name," he went on quietly. "He changed it to the Crypt Keeper – legally, too, it's on his birth certificate now. He and I shared a lot of interests – fantasy, science fiction, computers, cheap Mexican food. We hung out a lot, and we always joked about someday going to Xanth, taking on Com Pewter with our own know-how about his kind, maybe hitting it off with one of the hot princesses or demonesses… you know, having a good time!" He stared at his hands. "He died about a year ago… brain tumor… he was only twenty, damn it…"

"He didn't die, he came to Xanth!" shrilled Mentia. "And he's gonna destroy it if we don't stop him!"

Douglas shook his head. "He wouldn't destroy Xanth… he loved it too much…"

She grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard until his helmet rattled. "Don't you get it, you ogre-brain? You can't have Xanth and Mundania in one shot! They can't mix! One's gotta destroy the other! I really don't want Xanth destroyed, because then where will I go to flash my panties and torture innocent mortals? And if Mundania's destroyed, what's gonna happen to you and your kind, huh? Ever think about that? You may think it's a hunky-dory thing for the Interface to come down…"

"Leggo of me!" he exclaimed, wrenching free of her grip. "Okay, I think you've made your point."

"So are you in or out?" she demanded. "You gonna come with us to defeat the Crypt Keeper?"

He shook his head. "No. I can't. My involvement in Xanth is limited to the dream realm." He sighed deeply. "What I can do is give you the Crypt Keeper's true name."

"And what's that gonna do?"

"Names can have a certain power over an individual," Douglas replied. "Demons, for example, can be summoned just by speaking their names. You probably won't be able to summon the Crypt Keeper, but you can probably use his name as a weapon of its own. After all, if you know the name he's tried to hide all these years, what other information of his might you be harboring?"

She considered that. It wasn't exactly an army of dream creatures, but it was better than nothing. "Okay, tell me his stupid name."

Douglas leaned forward and whispered.

"Oh, c'mon, nobody has that dumb a name!"

"Believe it, lady," Douglas replied.

"Well, no wonder he changed it." She sighed again. "Well, I guess that's all I'm going to get out of my part of the quest, so there's nothing else to do but wait for the elf."

Douglas shrugged. "Might as well wait with you until I wake up."

She flashed him a smile. "While we're waiting…"

Douglas gulped nervously.

_Break…_

Jenny paced about the shore of Lake Ogre-Chobee, wondering just how she was going to descend to its depths. She hadn't a talent that would let her breathe underwater or transform into a sea creature, and she saw no boat or submersible that could transport her. She had to get to Castle Vortex, but how?

"Sammy, find a way to Castle Vortex," she ordered.

The cat meowed, happy to comply, and trotted off into a nearby field of pillow bushes. The Curse Fiends grew their crops on the shores of Lake Ogre-Chobee, and here one could find everything from shoetrees to jellybean vines to everything in between. But one pilfered from these fields at their own peril – Curse Fiends weren't called Curse Fiends for use of foul language, after all.

Sammy halted at the base of a crab-apple tree, licking his paws. Jenny gazed up into the branches.

"Hello up there!"

The crabs perched on the branches snapped their claws like an orchestra made up entirely of castanets, disturbed at her shout. Someone up in the tree yelped and swore, causing some of the crabs to steam and turn red as if cooked. Seconds later a man dropped down from the branches, hands bruised from where some of the crabs had pinched him mercilessly.

"Sorry," Jenny said regretfully. "I was wondering…"

"Are you Jenny Elf?" the man interrupted, eyes wide.

Taken aback but not wanting to be rude, she nodded.

"Jenny Elf!" He grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically. "So glad to meet you! I'm Carter Curse Fiend, and I welcome you… but I'm rambling." He picked up a thick bag that writhed with freshly picked crabs. "You must come to Castle Vortex with me. The masters must meet you! And your little cat too, of course."

Jenny and Sammy exchanged puzzled looks. Sammy gave a mewl that seemed to say "I don't know what he's talking about either."

Finally Jenny just shrugged and followed Carter. Well, if this was the way to Castle Vortex…

The path to the Castle turned out to be an airtight wooden barge that was raised and lowered by means of a pulley system. The Curse Fiends, unlike most of Xanth's humans, all had the same talent – that of throwing curses. That meant that they relied on more… mundane means of traveling and going about their daily business most of the time. But this didn't make them inferior to other Xanth humans by any means. On the contrary, Curse Fiends were superb actors and playwrights, and their plays and operas were much-loved all over Xanth.

With great fanfare Carter hustled Jenny out of the barge and into the castle, past throngs of gaping Curse Fiends and to the office of the Curse-Fiend leader. The man had a sour-looking face that made Jenny want to turn around and leave at once, but once he laid eyes on her his expression brightened immensely.

"Jenny Elf, welcome to Castle Vortex!" he exclaimed, leaning over his desk to shake her hand. "This is a momentous occasion. Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable. Would you like something to drink?"

Still shaken by her unexpected but not unwelcome newfound celebrity, she took a seat. "Thank you, sir. Um… water would be fine, and I think Sammy would like some milk…"

The items were fetched instantly, and she took a grateful sip of her water. Sammy purred ecstatically over his milkweed pod.

"Now Jenny, I know you must be very confused at the moment," the leader of Castle Vortex said, folding his hands before him. "After all, I'm sure Carter didn't give you an explanation at all…"

"I must admit I'm rather confused," Jenny replied. "But I actually came to Castle Vortex to ask the Curse Fiends' aid in a battle against the Four Horsemen."

The grin faded from his face. "A war with the Horsemen?"

"Yes, and it's urgent. All Xanth is in danger."

He nodded, face grave. "Of course. Of course, we will have the Curse-Fiend Council discuss this immediately. In return…" He gave her a hopeful look. "In return for us offering aid, however, I was wondering if we may ask one small favor?"

She shrugged. "Depends on the favor."

"Ah, splendid! I was hoping you wouldn't turn me down flat, my girl… now then, your adventures in Xanth, especially those concerning those visitors Luke and Vader… you see, we find them fascinating. So fascinating, in fact, that several of us have put together a play to honor them."

She couldn't help but laugh. Herself, a character in a play?

"Don't laugh, child, I'm quite serious. This play is set to tour Xanth in a few weeks, and we want to make sure it's spot-on. Could we, by any chance, ask you to view this play and help us fine-tune it a bit? I'd hate to think we misrepresented any of your friends or their escapades."

She nodded. "I could do that."

He smiled broadly. "That would be marvelous! Thank you, Jenny!"

"And look for me onstage!" Carter beamed.

A few minutes later, Jenny found herself the lone occupant of a theater, facing the stage. She cradled Sammy in her lap and waited nervously. Herself in a play! This was something she would never have dreamed possible, either in Xanth or on the World of Two Moons…

The curtains drew back, revealing a stage separated into three parts. The center of the stage had been heavily decorated with Xanth's native foliage, and here two actresses lingered – a petite young girl meant to represent Jenny, and a stunningly attractive woman who was obviously Metria. On the left and right sides of the stage sat computers, and as Jenny watched a man in painstakingly detailed Vader armor took a seat at the left-hand computer, while a handsome young man meant to be Luke sat down at the right-hand computer.

_/This is going to be interesting/ _was all Jenny could think.

_Break…_

"So how did you like it?" asked Carter eagerly as she left the theater. "How'd I do?"

"The play was very good," Jenny said. "It was almost as accurate as the real thing. One thing, though – Darth Vader doesn't walk that stiffly. He kind of… glides. I'm not sure how to describe it, really. But at least try to loosen up. It'll look much better."

Carson nodded. "Loosen up, try to glide. Got it."

"Other than that, you made a great Vader," she told him. "Keep it up."

The leader of Castle Vortex approached at that moment, wearing a sober expression. Jenny's heart sank. The answer had to be…

"I'm sorry, Jenny, but the general consensus among the Council is that a war against the Four Horsemen would put Castle Vortex at too great a risk."

"But this is to save Xanth…" pleaded Jenny.

"I know, and I greatly regret that this is all we can do to help." He handed her a covered bucket. "These will help you defeat the army of the Horsemen."

She pried back the lid and peeked inside. "Why, they're seeds!"

"Trust me, child, they will help you. I'm sorry, but that is all I can do. Carter will escort you back to the shore."

Jenny sat numbly in her seat aboard the barge on the journey back. She had so hoped… the Curse Fiends would have been such an asset… and what did these seeds do anyhow?

Mentia was still hunched over the hypnogourd plant when she and Sammy found her again. Jenny bent over and placed her hand over the peephole, and Mentia shuddered as she returned to her body.

"What'd you do that for? I was about to summon the stork…"

"Did you have any luck?" Jenny interrupted sternly. If the demoness had spent the entire time trying to seduce a dream creature…

"No, I didn't. All I got was the Crypt Keeper's real name."

Jenny frowned. "That's odd."

"It's supposed to help us. But how, I dunno."

"A name and a bucket of seeds," Jenny mused. "Well, the Good Magician sent us here, so he must have known this would be what we found. They should help us. I hope."


	13. Spring

**Part XIII – Spring**

"All aboard for Imp Ire and Lake Eerie!" shouted Alto.

Fett and Phillipa boarded the train silently and sat on opposite ends of the car – well, Fett sat while Phillipa stood in the aisle. Neither so much as glanced at the other.

Fett stared out the window, watching Xanth's bizarre landscape glide past. Why was he doing this? Why was he getting involved in yet another brewing war? Like his father, he had long sworn to keep neutral in political affairs, be it a planetary skirmish or the Galactic Civil War. The only reason he had taken so many assignments from Lord Vader was because he generally had deeper pockets than the Rebellion or most crime lords. To pitch in and aid in the upcoming battle against the Crypt Keeper and Horsemen was completely against his character.

A herd of centaurs thundered past the train, all bearing antiquated weapons such as daggers, bows and arrows, and crossbows. Luke Skywalker sat astride a dappled gray at the lead of the charge. Well, at least one of their party had achieved his goal. If the others had the same luck…

Some hours later, the train lurched to a halt, and Fett shook his head to clear away the last cobwebs of sleep. How long had he been dozing?

"Now arriving at the Imp Ire," the conductor announced. "There will be a two-hour layover during which passengers may exit the train and refresh themselves."

"Good," muttered Phillipa, swishing her reptilian tail. "I'm starving."

Fett stood and did a few stretching exercises before following the dragon-horse off the train. Time to face the imps. Though seeing as he still had the magic flute the elf had given him, he wondered what the deal was. Wouldn't it make more sense to send him somewhere else?

_/Far away from Xanth, preferably/ _he thought, though with less of his usual confidence. Maybe the puns had affected his sanity somehow, but strangely, the land of Xanth no longer annoyed him as much as it had just days before. Though he had no desire to remain absent from his role in the Galaxy Far, Far Away too much longer, nor did he entirely wish to leave this peculiar place.

The train had stopped in the midst of a thick jungle, with food-bearing plants all around and a clear spring a short walk away. Deciding he wasn't in any particular hurry to reach the Imp Ire, he decided to stock his pack. Extra provisions never hurt, and if he was able to take some of the more useful plants back home with him…

Phillipa's neck stretched high into the branches of a crab-apple tree as she foraged for food. The crabs clawed mercilessly at her muzzle and face, but her thick blue-green scales protected her from their pincers, and their tough shells were no match for her powerful jaws and teeth. Fett shook his head at the absurdity of the sight and left her to crunching away.

High in another tree grew round, red fruits the size of a man's eye. Curious, Fett plucked one and examined it. Seeing nothing interesting about it, he tossed it behind him.

The ground shook with a deafening explosion.

"Whaddaya trying to do, kill me!" screeched Phillipa, dancing away from the smoking crater the fruit had created.

"What was that?" he demanded, blast-her out.

"A cherry bomb, you idiot!" she hissed. "Honestly, you need a Companion…"

Cherry bomb… perhaps this could be of use. Removing his pack, he began harvesting handfuls of the bombs. Phillipa shook her head and trotted over to the spring for a drink.

Once his bag was full, Fett went to the edge of the pool and knelt, taking off his helmet. His mouth was rather dry; he could use a drink.

"Watch the bag," Phillipa advised. "Don't want you falling on your back and blowing yourself up. On second thought, maybe we would want that."

"Ha, ha," he grumbled. "Are you always this friendly, horse-face?"

"Shut up, rust-bucket." She bent her head and drank deeply.

Fett growled to himself, cupped some water in his fingers, and sipped. He could cut the crossbreed a little slack for being nervous about the upcoming confrontation at Lake Eerie, but at the same time, he didn't see why she had to be such a caustic…

The water slid like silk past his lips and down his throat, leaving behind a smell and taste he couldn't quite place – expensive wine, rare fruit, blaster ozone, crushed plants… all of these and none of them. A strange feeling flowed through his veins, one he had never felt before and so couldn't name. It was as if someone had stoked a fire in his torso, stirring long-banked coals until they glowed and sputtered with life…

He looked up from the water to where Phillipa was still drinking. It was as if a veil had been pulled back, allowing him to look upon the dragon-horse with new eyes. Her scales glittered like sunlight on the ocean's surface, green and blue and silver. Beneath the scales was a powerful yet graceful body, elegant without being dainty. She was beautiful, yet there was a sense of toughness as well, exhibited by the steel hooves, the shimmering horns and spines on her head and neck, the sinuous spade-tipped tail. Even the scars streaking her wing membrane did not detract from her appearance – they only showed her strength. This was a beast that had been to Hell and back and had emerged victorious, who had the hard luck to be the daughter of a despot but had not only avoided following in his footsteps, but chose to make amends for his crimes by fighting against another villain.

Sensing that she was being watched, Phillipa raised her head to regard him. Her brilliant green eyes, like pale gemstones, made his gorge rise, but he didn't care. He didn't want her to break her gaze, even if it meant discomfort. Stang, if she wanted to trample him under her hooves, he wouldn't mind. He would travel beyond the Outer Rim if she desired…

She stepped elegantly toward him, her sassy attitude gone, a soft expression in her eyes. Without realizing what he was doing, he stood and wrapped his arms around her neck, holding her close.

"Fett…" she rasped softly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm right here," he assured her.

"Fett, you don't understand," she murmured, sounding close to tears. "You don't… bleep, how could I have been so stupid!" She pulled out of his grasp and shook her head as if chasing off flies.

"Phillipa, what is it?" he demanded. "You're crying…"

"Don't you get it? We just drank from a love spring!"

A love spring… he'd heard one of the others mention that… but what did this have to do with…

"Love springs are why Xanth has so many crossbreeds in the first place!" Phillipa snapped. "Anyone who drinks from one will fall in love with the first creature of the opposite sex they see. There's no protection, no cure… and we just drank from it! Don't you see?"

He did see, and he let out a curse that made the crab-apple tree burst into flames. No! This couldn't be happening! He couldn't be in love with this… this… creature! He was a bounty hunter, heartless, living only for the hunt. The last thing he wanted was a woman in his life, a mistress or girlfriend to complicate matters, an obligation outside his occupation… and besides, Phillipa wasn't even human! Sure, human-alien couples were tolerated, if not exactly encouraged, in his galaxy, but for a human to fall in love with a dragon-basilisk-whatever-she-was was just… wrong! Wrong in every sense of the word!

But the newly-awakened emotion within his chest protested, warring with logic. Part of him didn't care what species Phillipa was, didn't care about future complications. That part told him only that he and Phillipa belonged together, that no matter what the future held, they could weather it together. And if society disapproved… society could suck swamp gas for all he cared.

Phillipa was evidently waging her own internal war, her mind wrestling with her heart. At long last, she nodded toward the jungle.

"You'd better go," she urged. "The Imp Ire, remember?"

He stared into the trees, then turned back to her. "Come with me."

She shook her head. "Fett, you're not even of this world. We could never work it out. It's impossible."

He picked up his helmet and replaced it. "Accompany me to Imp Ire. I will go with you to Lake Eerie. Then, once the battle against the Crypt Keeper is over… we can deal with this."

She hesitated, then stepped forward. "Very well."

He rested a hand on her shoulder as they walked on, silent, brooding. Fett had never been so torn. He had always been a master of keeping his emotions and logic separate. But now, thanks to the infernal magic of the love spring, mind and heart were tangled in all-out war.

Part of him wanted nothing more than to keep Phillipa by his side, be it remaining in Xanth or taking her to his galaxy. But another part reasoned that such an action was completely absurd and the best thing to do would be to visit the Good Magician and request a means of nullifying the spring's effects. Both sides had their arguments. Yes, it was about time he indulged his heart for once, but at the same time, if he was going to take on a partner, shouldn't it at least be human?

The ground right before them smoked as a bolt of energy impacted, and they halted.

"Freeze!"

Fett complied, more out of shock than out of obedience. For the smallest stormtroopers he had ever seen were surrounding them, keeping their guns trained on them. His motionlessness only lasted a few seconds, however, and he burst out laughing.

"It's not funny," Phillipa told him. "Imps are small, but they're superb fighters."

"Eh, we're used to being laughed at," one of the mini-troopers said with a shrug.

"Shut up, soldier!" barked his superior. "And you shut up, human. We won't bring a giggling idiot before the Imp-eror!"

That only made Fett crack up even more. Stang, this was the first pun that he actually enjoyed!

"Follow us," the officer ordered, resigning himself to the fact that his prisoner wasn't going to quit snickering. "And keep your hands in the air."

Phillipa gave him a disgusted look as they followed the imps. "What's so funny?"

"They look like… stormtroopers… from my galaxy," he replied, finally getting a grip. "Only smaller."

A smile touched her equine muzzle. "I forget you're not of Xanth. Yes, I can see how they would seem a little strange to you."

The imps led the way through the forest, passing through curse-burr thickets and sidestepping a vicious boxwood tree, until they reached what looked startlingly like a scale model of an Imperial Outpost. Imps were marching in formation, fine-tuning miniature TIE fighters and AT-ATs, and scurrying from building to building to pass messages. Fett frowned a little. They looked to be already preparing for war. Had they been alerted of the Horsemen already?

"Imp Ire is in the center of goblin territory," Phillipa explained. "They have to keep vigilant to protect themselves."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just pack up and move?" Fett asked.

She shook her head. "They're fighters; they're not giving up their hard-won home so easily."

The dragon-horse seemed to have stepped in and filled the long-vacant role of Companion for him. An effect of the love spring, of course – minutes ago, she wouldn't have given him the time of day. Fett felt a good deal easier now that he wouldn't be flailing blindly through the game anymore, though he still couldn't see how this arrangement would work out…

A quartet of scarlet-robed guards approached, escorting the green-skinned, black-cowled form of the Imp-eror. The diminutive monarch leaned on a gnarled cane and gazed up at Fett and Phillipa with a critical eye.

"These are the creatures we found in the forest, Your Highness," the officer told him.

"Thank you, Sergeant Imp Ressive," the Imp-eror replied, his yellow eyes still skimming over Fett and Phillipa. He seemed to go a shade greener when he made eye contact with Phillipa, but he maintained the tact to not gag or make a production of his sudden nausea.

"Well," he said at length, "you're not what we expected, but so few things occur as predicted." He extended a welcoming hand and swept it around in an all-encompassing gesture. "Welcome to Imp Ire, my friends. May I ask your names and lineages?"

"Phillipa, and I am dragon, centaur, basilisk, and unicorn," Phillipa told him, lowering her head respectfully.

"Boba Fett, human, son of the bounty hunter Jango Fett," Fett replied, bowing slightly.

The Imp-eror's brow furrowed. "Just a human? No demon or merfolk blood in your veins?"

"No, I'm not even from Xanth. Why?"

"Curious is all," the Imp-eror replied. "Though I shouldn't be so quick to assume. Chang Centaur did tell us that there were Mundanians living in his village at Lake Eerie…"

Phillipa snorted and reared, wings extending like great azure sails. "Lake Eerie? What business does the Imp Ire have with Lake Eerie?"

The Imp-eror's already seamed face wrinkled even more in an expression of puzzled concern. "Then you are not the representatives Chang Centaur and Wara Werecorn sent to finalize the alliance against the goblins?"

Fett hissed another curse, the ground at his feet blackening. The Imp-eror had mistaken them for legitimate visitors. And it was too late to bluff their way through this mess. The best they could do was hope the Imp-eror hadn't the temper or cruelty of the Emperor…

"They are not the representatives," announced a deep, serene voice. "We are."

Fett and Phillipa whirled as one.

Two more figures were entering Imp Ire. The first was a middle-aged centaur, his hair and tail snow-white and body dappled gray. A full quiver of arrows and a bow were slung across one broad shoulder, and his powerful build indicated that he was taking exceptional care of himself for one his age. The second was a blindingly-white horse with a silver spiraled horn twisting from between her eyes, her silver mane and tail nearly trailing on the ground and her deep brown eyes wide and innocent.

The Imp-eror bowed. "We did not expect you to arrive in person, Chang and Wara."

Phillipa trembled. Fett placed an encouraging hand on her withers.

"It was no matter," Chang replied. "We quite enjoyed the journey, actually. Lake Eerie is a pleasant enough place, but one appreciates a change in scenery every once in awhile." His gaze moved to Fett. "Who is this gentleman?"

"A traveler whom we mistook for one of your representatives," the Imp-eror replied. "We shall send him on his way at once…"

"Wait," the unicorn ordered – though she was no longer unicorn, but a white-robed woman with silver belt and headband and flowing white hair. Wara gave Phillipa a strange look, as if trying to place where she had seen the dragon-horse before. Phillipa glowered back, and Wara fell to her knees with a groan.

"Wara, my dear!" exclaimed Chang, bending to help her to her feet.

"I'm fine," she murmured. "Just… felt sick."

Chang smiled unexpectedly. "Why don't you sit down?" To the others he explained, "Wara and I expect a delivery from the stork shortly; that is why she's not feeling well."

"Not just that," Wara replied, though she beamed a little. "I've seen that creature before. And the fact that her gaze aggravated my sickness… she is Phillipa, the daughter of Darius Dracotaur."

The imps, who had gathered in a curious throng around them, whispered hurriedly amongst themselves.

Phillipa sighed. "You just had to rub it in…"

Fett stepped before Phillipa. "And what difference does it make if she is the daughter of Darius Dracotaur?"

"Darius was a sadistic, power-mad tyrant," Chang replied in a hard voice. "He abused both Wara and I for his own twisted pleasures. How are we to know that his daughter doesn't have the same tendencies…"

"She does not!" Fett barked, clenching his fists. "She wants nothing to do with her father's legacy! All she wants – all we want – is aid in defeating the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!"

Someone shrieked. Frantic whispering ensued.

"The Four Horsemen?" demanded the Imp-eror. "They can't be back in Xanth!"

"They are, Your Highness," Phillipa replied. "And we have come to ask for the aid of the Army of Imp Ire and the denizens of Lake Eerie in defeating their twisted cause."

Chang and Wara exchanged an inscrutable look. "Can you prove this?" Wara asked.

Phillipa hesitated. "We can't…"

Fett cut in. "A man known as the Crypt Keeper seeks to bring down the Interface between Xanth and Mundania. He has enlisted the aid of the Four Horsemen, who hope that the destruction of the Interface will mean the destruction of Xanth. The Good Magician has sent our company all over Xanth to seek out aid in defeating them. You can join us and save Xanth – or have its destruction upon your heads."

The Imp-eror stepped forward, between Fett and Phillipa and toward Chang and Wara. The three creatures conferred quietly, then the Imp-eror turned to address Fett.

"Under normal circumstances, of course, we would believe you. But from Anakin Skywalker we have heard tales of you, Boba Fett, many of them rather less than pleasant. And Phillipa… forgive us, but old prejudices die hard. We will need proof that the two of you are trustworthy."

"You expect us to PROVE the Horsemen are going to attack?" demanded Phillipa.

"We didn't say that," Chang replied. "We only want you to prove you are trustworthy, something your father was, I'm sorry to say, not. If you can satisfy our concerns on this matter, we may be able to help you."

Fett snarled wordlessly before replying. "You're incredible, Chang! This creature has been through more than you can imagine, and you treat her like a criminal!"

"We only want to ensure…" began the Imp-eror.

Fett plunged his hand into his pack, digging through the cherry bombs and withdrawing the flute. "I don't need to prove anything to you! I have this! It doesn't matter whether you condescend to help or not; if I play this, you have to fight…"

The Imp-eror's eyes flashed, and before Fett could react the flute was in his hands. "Where did you get this?"

"From Jenny Elf, in exchange for helping her cross the Gap Chasm."

The Imp-eror nodded once, satisfied, and gave the flute back. "Jenny Elf passed through our village some time ago. She was a sweet girl and an excellent judge of character. If she has deemed you worthy to possess the flute and use it responsibly, I am inclined to believe her. You have gained our trust, Fett."

"What of Phillipa?" demanded Fett, still enraged that they could hate her for something she had no control over.

"She has yet to gain our trust…" began Chang.

"You pompous…" Fett began, raising his flamethrower-arm.

Chang drew his bow and arrow at once at the sight of the threat.

"Fett, let me handle this!" Phillipa exclaimed, shoving past him. "I'm a big mare, I can take care of myself." She stood before the centaur, head high. "Chang Centaur, I cannot repair all the damage my father has done, but there is one matter in my power. At the behest of my father I created Lake Eerie when I was very young, making its waters so mysterious few in Xanth would know of its existence. If it pleases you, the lake can be drained, and I can create a new body of water, one that will allow more crossbreeds to find and settle your village."

Chang raised an eyebrow. "What sort of body of water would you create?"

"Whatever you desire – a healing spring, a Fountain of Youth, or a plain lake. The choice is yours."

Wara smiled. "Chang, she is sincere. Let us help her."

Chang hesitated. "Wara, we don't even know her. She could be plotting to trick us…"

"Chang, let go of your anger. Darius did hurt you, yes, but Phillipa has done nothing against us. Let us give her a chance. Besides, if Darius had never orchestrated your exile from Centaur Isle, you would never have met me."

Fett smirked beneath his helmet.

Chang sighed. "Phillipa, you have the aid of the crossbreeds of Lake Eerie in fighting the Horsemen. We would request, however, that you come to Lake Eerie at once and alter the lake before we leave for the battle."

She bowed, a relieved expression in her eyes. "Of course. Thank you, Chang and Wara."

The Imp-eror bowed. "It was a pleasure becoming acquainted with the two of you, Fett and Phillipa. And remember, Fett – the Army of Imp Ire is at your command. Simply play the flute, and we will hear and hasten to battle."

"May the Force be with you, Your Highness," Fett replied with a bow.

"You as well."

On the way back to the train, Wara leaned over to whisper to Fett. "So when did you and Phillipa become sweethearts?"

He stared at her, surprised. "What business is it of yours?"

"I just thought, the way you so heroically jumped to defend her, that there was a relationship between you two."

Fett snarled. "Love spring mishap. Once the battle is over…" He hesitated. "I'm not sure what we'll do, but we'll find some solution."

Her brown eyes softened with understanding. "Yes, love springs have been an endless source of tragedy. I know." She smiled encouragingly. "But perhaps it is for the best. As the Good Magician once told me, love is the most powerful form of magic in Xanth. Maybe your love can help you defeat the Horsemen."

Fett snorted. Whatever that meant.


	14. Simurgh

**Chapter XIV – Simurgh**

The train bound for Mount Parnassus came to an abrupt halt, jolting Anakin out of meditation.

"Sir, there's going to be a delay," the conductor told him. "It seems that goblins have sabotaged part of the track – cherry-bombed it from the look of things. We're going to see what we can do about it."

Anakin stood. "Very well. I can go on my own from here. Thank you for taking me this far."

The conductor nodded. "Good luck."

Anakin stepped off of the train and assumed his dragon form, then leaped skyward. He wouldn't be able to travel the entire distance to Mount Parnassus in this form – the Simurgh, guardian of Mount Parnassus, did not permit other flying creatures near her mountain. He decided he would land and take the ground route when he came within five kilometers of the mountain's base.

Normally, Anakin took great delight in his ability to take on dragon form. Always a lover of flight, being able to experience it without mechanical aid was the ultimate pleasure in his mind. Whenever he took to the skies, he indulged in spectacular acrobatics, engaged in races with other flying dragons, and even dared to challenge Fracto to a duel if he happened upon the cloud in his travels.

Not today. His flight was straight across Xanth, without deviation from his course. He was in no mood for aerial maneuvers today.

Luke and Leia… he hoped that, wherever they were, they were safe and having some success at their respective missions. Centaurs were notoriously stubborn – not unlike Skywalkers, he thought amusedly – and ogres… well, they were a different sort of challenge. He had to have faith in their abilities, however. He couldn't be around forever to protect them.

Luke, though… he worried Anakin the most. Despite all that the boy had been through in his lifetime, he was strangely naïve and trusting. He had complete faith in people, which was an honorable trait. But it also left him dangerously exposed to manipulation. And in the case of the game, where there was the possibility of a False Companion…

_/I cannot betray him/ _he thought bitterly. _/I did that once when I killed his mother. I did it again when I gave him to the Emperor over Endor. If I do it a third time…/_

YOUR SON WILL UNDERSTAND.

He winced. He hadn't heard that voice since back at the meadow…

_/Who are you? And what business do you have mucking around in my head/_

A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK, SKYWALKER. AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT GOING THROUGH WITH YOUR FALSEHOOD. THERE ARE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR COMPANIONS WHO DON'T DO THEIR JOB.

_/As a Companion, my job is to protect my Player, whoever he or she may be/ _Anakin retorted.

BUT AS A COMPANION, YOU ARE BOUND BY THE RULES OF THE DEMONS – ALL RULES.

Something snapped into place in his mind. _/You're Demon X(A/N)TH./_

THAT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. YOU ARE STILL BOUND TO BETRAY LUKE.

_/And if I don't? What then/_

X(A/N)TH named the punishment, and Anakin jerked with shock.

_/Is that even possible/_

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE TO A DEMON, SKYWALKER, the voice of X(A/N)TH sniggered. AND REST ASSURED THAT, IF YOU FAIL TO BETRAY LUKE, YOUR FATE WILL BE IN MY HANDS. YOU FAILED ME ONCE, SKYWALKER, AND THAT FAILURE HUMILIATED ME BEYOND THE SCOPE OF YOUR PATHETIC IMAGINATION. YOU WILL NOT FAIL ME AGAIN.

Anakin dove, landing a good hour's walk from the base of Mount Parnassus, but he did not yet shed his dragon form. He turned to the nearest tree – a gleaming-barked silver maple – and savagely sank his teeth into it. Ripping it up by the roots, he flung it to the ground and took out his frustration on it. By the time his anger had cooled, the tree was in shreds and his claws, jaws, and scales were gummed with sticky brown sap.

Finally, exhausted and feeling more hopeless than ever before, he allowed himself to shift back to human form. His robes were matted with sap, but that couldn't be helped. He finally turned around and set for the mountain, lost in his own melancholy.

Hideous shrieking filled the air, and three jet-black forms emerged from the forest. They stood alongside the path, watching him pass.

_/The Furies/ _he thought, giving them a wide berth. Among the oldest creatures in Xanth, Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megaera were hideous women with canine faces and snakes in place of hair, with batlike wings they folded about their bodies like cloaks. They took it upon themselves to accuse everyone they met of somehow neglecting or abusing their parents, cursing them or scourging them with the poisoned whips they carried at all times. Anakin wasn't sure how they would deal with him, who had only one mortal parent, but he had no wish to find out.

"Look at that Skywalker pass," snarled Tisiphone, fingering the leather thongs of her scourge. "The game forbids us from touching him, even though he has profaned his mother's name by slaughtering innocents in her memory. And has he even given thought of her since then? Or does he shrink from her memory, not wanting to consider what she would think of him now?"

"By Grossclout's orders, we cannot scourge or curse him," Alecto hissed, pointing a clawed finger. "Though he betrayed his father, the Force itself, by joining the Sith when he was created to destroy them. And he thinks he can absolve himself of that by killing the Emperor? Ha!"

"We must let him be," Megaera added in a vicious whisper, her tongue sliding over pointed teeth as if to ready them for rending Anakin. "Though he plots still more betrayal, though he will selfishly deceive his own flesh and blood to avoid the wrath of X(A/N)TH. Let us go, sisters, and leave this man to his machinations."

And they loped off with screeched laughter, leaving Anakin wishing they had just whipped him to death outright. Which meant they had accomplished their wishes.

He set to climbing the mountain, heading for the southern peak. The physical activity helped him take his mind off of X(A/N)TH and the Furies' remarks. Dust caked to his robes and hands, turning him an odd color of gray-brown, but he gave it no thought.

Something hissed, and he looked up to see an enormous snake lying across his path. The Python, banished guardian of the Tree of Immortality, lifted its head to gaze at him. Anakin held his ground – the Python was not particular about what he ate, though he preferred women if he had the choice.

"Get out of my way," he ordered. "I'm not in a mood to be trifled with."

The Python gave a rasping laugh. "You think to order me around, little morsel?" He reared his head back to strike.

Anakin drew his lightsaber, and when the enormous fanged head darted forward he slashed, slicing through a fang as long as his arm. The Python shrieked in outraged pain and writhed his body, hoping to knock his prey off his feet. Anakin was too quick for him – he leaped and landed astride the Python's back, raising his saber to plunge it through the thick scales.

More shrieking attracted his attention, and both duelists looked up to see a pack of women heading for them at a determined pace. Anakin groaned. The maenads, eternally young but extremely feral women, guarded the Tree of Immortality and northern peak of the mountain, though like the Python, they liked nothing better than to trespass on the southern peak in search of prey. It was an interesting match-up – the woman-preying snake versus the most predatory of women.

The Python gave a disgusted look. "Hurry up and let me eat you," he hissed. "I'm not sticking around." No doubt he had battled the maenads before – and come out the worse for it.

"I have another idea, one which could benefit the both of us," Anakin retorted.

"What, you expect me to carry you to the south peak?"

Anakin smiled.

"No!" the Python snapped. "It's not my territory! The Simurgh will cut me to pieces!"

"Would you rather confront the maenads?"

The Python flinched, an interesting sight.

"I thought not." Anakin extinguished his saber. "To the Tree of Seeds, my friend."

The Python hissed his loathing and set off at a swift slither up the mountain. The maenads shrieked wildly and gave chase, but even the fleetest of them couldn't hope to catch up.

Several minutes later, the Python reached the top and gave a twist of his body, dumping Anakin unceremoniously at the roots of the Tree of Seeds.

"This trip was one-way," he spat. "Don't think I'm coming back to take you down the mountain."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Anakin replied. "But thank you."

"You'd better be thankful." The Python turned to go.

STOP.

Anakin and the Python turned, Anakin with a great deal of surprise. That voice had been neither Grossclout's nor X(A/N)TH's. For one thing, it was female.

The Tree of Seeds was by far the most impressive sight Anakin had seen in a long time – and for one who had spent the last three months of his life in Xanth, that was saying something. Far more enormous than any of the arboreal giants of Endor or Yavin, it bore the foliage, blossoms, and fruits of every bush, tree, flower, and weed that one could possibly imagine, from the ordinary fruits of Mundania and the Galaxy Far, Far Away to the exotic pun-plants of Xanth. And perched on the largest branch, gazing down at them with a regal expression, was a huge bird every bit as awe-inspiring as the tree she perched in. With feathers that gleamed with every possible color and eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of the universe, the Simurgh was a sight to behold.

PYTHON, YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM SETTING SCALE UPON THE NORTH PEAK, the Simurgh told him severely. I THOUGHT WE'D GONE OVER THIS BEFORE. WHAT GIVES YOU THE GALL THIS TIME?

"He was aiding me, my lady," Anakin said in the Python's defense, bowing. "We had…"

I'M AWARE OF THE BARGAIN YOU MADE WITH THE PYTHON, the Simurgh replied. AND THAT IS THE ONLY REASON I DON'T SLICE HIM INTO LUNCHMEAT RIGHT NOW. I SUGGEST YOU LEAVE AT ONCE, PYTHON.

The Python slunk away with a cowed expression. If he had possessed legs, his tail would have been tucked sheepishly between them.

"Was that harshness necessary?" asked Anakin.

DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR HIM, she said with the tone of a weary mother. HE WOULD HAVE EATEN YOU THE MOMENT YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN IF HE HADN'T KNOWN I WAS WATCHING HIM. NOW… She arranged her gorgeous plumage and gazed down at him with a questioning look. WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS WITH ME?

"The Crypt Keeper and the Four Horsemen seek to bring down the Interface, my lady."

WHAT! The Simurgh half-spread her wings in surprise, causing the entire tree to shake ominously. THE FOOLS!

"I have come to Mount Parnassus to seek aid in defeating them. We were hoping to gather an army to fight…"

AND AID YOU SHALL RECEIVE, SKYWALKER. BUT NOT IN THE FORM OF AN ARMY. YOUR CHILDREN, FETT, AND PHILLIPA HAVE GATHERED ENOUGH FORCES.

So four of the others had succeeded in their quests. Did that mean Jenny and Mentia had failed? Or that they had received other forms of aid?

THE OTHERS HAVE TOOLS TO DEFEAT THE ARMY OF THE HORSEMEN AND THE CRYPT KEEPER. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND, NEED A TOOL THAT WILL REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE INTERFACE BY THE CRYPT KEEPER'S STUPIDITY. CATCH!

The Simurgh lifted a talon and rapped on the branch she perched upon. A single fruit, brownish-gray and shriveled-looking, became dislodged and fell. Anakin instinctively lifted his hands and caught it.

EAT IT.

Puzzled, Anakin complied. Despite its unappetizing appearance, it tasted sweet.

FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, LONG EXTINCT FROM XANTH. IT WILL GIVE YOU KNOWLEDGE OF THE CODE NEEDED TO REFORMAT THE INTERFACE, UNDOING THE DAMAGE THE CRYPT KEEPER HAS INFLICTED.

Four words sounded themselves in Anakin's mind. He repeated them to himself until he was sure he had them memorized.

"Thank you, my lady. Your aid is appreciated."

YOU WILL ALSO NEED THIS. She raised one wing and shook it, and a single feather dropped. Though small in comparison to the Simurgh, it was half as long as Anakin by the time it landed.

MY FEATHERS HAVE HEALING PROPERTIES, she explained. USE IT WISELY. AND YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO FLY TO CASTLE ZOMBIE FROM MOUNT PARNASSUS. IF YOU ARE TO SAVE XANTH, YOU MUST MOVE QUICKLY.

"Again, thank you, my lady." He assumed dragon form and clutched the feather in his forepaws.

AND ONE MORE THING.

He turned to face the Simurgh, listening.

TRY TO SMILE A LITTLE. THE FURIES AREN'T ALWAYS RIGHT, YOU KNOW. AND IF YOU LET WHAT THEY SAID BOTHER YOU, THEY HAVE WON.

He nodded once, then took to the air.


	15. Castle Zombie

Part XV – Castle Zombie 

Castle Zombie was a stately, impassive structure – from a good distance. Once Luke got within a few kilometers, however, he could see the entire thing sagged as if it had been constructed from wet clay. Even closer, and the flaking, slimy stonework and the stench of mold and long-rotting organic material hit his senses. Zombies had built the castle, Chas Centaur had explained, and this was the way they liked it.

"And the Zombie Master lives here?" Luke asked, trying to remember to breathe through his mouth.

"Of course, along with his wife and two children," replied Chas. "Though they are fully grown now and will soon begin families of their own, I'm sure."

Luke couldn't imagine anyone trying to live here. "Is the Zombie Master…"

"He is alive and human," Chas interrupted. "He just prefers the company of the half-dead to the company of most living Xanthians. They don't bore him with unnecessary babble or put on airs to impress him."

Well, he had a point. All the same, however, the Zombie Master could have Castle Zombie, and he would stick with the Jedi Academy.

The centaur squadron reached the drawbridge of the castle, to be greeted by a zombie centaur. The creature's hide was mottled with mold, and its eyes seemed to have rotted out long ago.

"Halsh," it ordered in a slurred voice.

Chas kept his face carefully composed as he saluted. "We have come to see the Zombie Master."

"Waitch here," the zombie replied, a few teeth and a fragment of its lip coming loose with the command. It turned and entered the castle, dropping pieces of hide and flesh on the way.

"Eww," Luke commented once he was sure the creature was out of earshot.

"I hope that was no one I knew," one of the other centaurs remarked.

"Zombies are some of Xanth's more… unsavory creatures," Chas noted. "But it is wiser to pity them than to loathe them. They are not quite alive and not quite dead, trapped somewhere in between. They can live forever, but the quality of that life leaves much to be desired."

"I can see that," Luke replied.

The ground trembled, and every centaur set an arrow to his or her bow in response. Luke whirled, a hand near his lightsaber…

Ogres! There had to be over a hundred of them, bellowing in savage joy and grinning their hideous grins. And on the shoulder of the foremost one, a figure in white…

"Hold your fire!" Luke shouted. "They're here to help!"

Reluctantly the centaurs relaxed their bowstrings. Luke slid down from Chas' back and ran to meet the lead ogre.

"See he!" the ogre grunted, dropping to one knee. The impact of the calloused joint striking the ground made the centaurs stagger for balance.

"And you told me they'd be difficult to manage," Leia said teasingly from her perch on the creature's shoulder.

Luke smiled up at her. "Not bad, Leia. Let's hope the others had half as much luck."

Leia slid down from the ogre's shoulder. "What's going on now?"

"My guess is we'll be meeting with the Zombie Master now," Luke replied. "He probably needs to know why we're planning to storm his basement…"

The ground shuddered again, and once again bows were readied as a diggle slithered through the ground, carrying Jenny and Sammy upon its back. The elf girl dropped from the diggle's back, and it resumed the form of a pouting Mentia.

"Wow!" Jenny exclaimed. "You guys did it!"

Luke's gaze drifted behind the two women, half-expecting to see an army of some kind behind them. But they had come totally alone. Had they failed?

"The Curse Fiends couldn't come," Jenny explained, sliding a bag off of her shoulder. "But they said these seeds could help us."

Luke opened the bag and sifted a handful of seeds between his fingers. "What kind of seeds could these be?"

"Some kind of weapon plant, maybe?" suggested Leia. "Silverswords or arrowroot?"

"Once the others get here, we can toy with them a little more," Luke suggested. "Mentia, any luck?"

"I met a friend of the Crypt Keeper's," she volunteered. "He was in the dream realm with me, having a really weird nightmare. He told me the Crypt Keeper's name."

"His name?" repeated Luke. "What is his name?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she retorted.

"Try me," Luke shot back.

Again the ground shivered, though not as much as it had with the ogres or diggle. The centaurs rolled their eyes, keeping their weapons lax this time.

"Here come Fett and Phillipa," Jenny noted. "And it looks like they've brought more fighters."

"Imps?" asked Leia.

"Nope," Jenny replied. "There's a centaur, a unicorn, a winged naga man, a dragon covered with fur instead of scales, two humans with antlers…"

"The army of Lake Eerie," Luke realized. "The crossbreeds! Phillipa must have gotten through to them after all!"

Phillipa galloped into the midst of their rapidly growing army and skidded to a halt right before Luke and Leia. Fett had been sitting astride her, and now he dismounted, though he kept one hand constantly upon the dragon-horse's side.

"What about the imps?" demanded Mentia.

"I gained their trust," Fett replied. "They will aid us when we need them."

Luke glanced at Phillipa, then at Fett, then at Phillipa again. Something wasn't right here. There was an odd tension around these two, some kind of conflict… yet some kind of bond as well.

"All right, what's going on?" he asked. "What happened?"

Phillipa gave a gusty snort. "Fett and I drank from a love spring by accident."

Luke's stomach lurched. A love spring? Of all things! He remembered all too well his close call with the love spring his first time in Xanth. Apparently, Fett and Phillipa hadn't been as lucky.

Mentia screeched. "Not fair! Not fair at all! I was planning on a night of fun with him after all this was over, and what does he do? Goes and falls for a lizard-horse! Totally unfair!"

"Shut up, Mentia," Phillipa ordered. "He wasn't yours to begin with."

"Love spring?" repeated Leia.

"Anyone who drinks from a love spring immediately falls in love with the first creature of the opposite sex they see, no matter the species," Jenny explained. "That's why there are so many crossbreeds in Xanth. The centaurs, for example, come from love spring encounters between humans and horses."

"I resent being called a crossbreed," one of the centaurs sniffed.

"The effects of the love spring usually last about four years," Jenny went on, oblivious to the comment. "By then it's usually replaced by natural love."

"Is there any way to cure it?" demanded Fett. Evidently he wasn't happy with this arrangement in the least.

"Not to my knowledge," Jenny replied. "You'll have to ask the Good Magician."

Two figures strode forward from the crossbreed army. Luke recognized them and extended a hand in greeting.

"Hi, Chang. Hi, Wara. It's been a long time."

The centaur shook his hand. The unicorn assumed human form and did likewise.

"You have a remarkable friend here, Luke," Wara told him. "He defended Phillipa quite well at Imp Ire. She is a lucky woman to have him as a sweetheart."

Luke couldn't hold back a laugh.

"What's so amusing?" Wara asked.

"Let's just say Fett's got a reputation where I come from," Luke replied. "Most people don't think he even has a heart, let alone a sweetheart."

"Then they will be very surprised when he brings home a wife, won't they?"

"I doubt they'll get that far…" Luke began.

Chang's gaze moved to the centaur army, and he stiffened upon seeing Chas. Chas gazed back, suddenly uneasy. Now that the two centaurs were together, the family resemblance was much more pronounced – the white-blond hair, the piercing eyes, the chiseled features, the dappled gray hide. Luke waited cautiously for one or the other to make some sort of move.

"Chas," Chang whispered.

"Father," Chas replied in an equally quiet voice.

"It has been too long, son," Chang murmured.

And with that, the two of them stepped away for a few minutes to confer. Wara gave a little smile as she watched them go.

"I wonder how he'll take having a werecorn stepmother," Luke remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I think," Wara said slowly, "they'll have enough to discuss without bringing me up."

A nervous ripple passed over the gathered army, and gazes moved skyward as an enormous black dragon circled to land. But the unease passed in an instant when Anakin folded his wings and resumed his human shape.

"Father!" Luke exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

For Anakin seemed to have aged ten years in the time he had been gone to Mount Parnassus. His face was lined, his expression was one of anxious fatigue, and his deep blue eyes were strangely troubled. He didn't look at Luke but studied what he held in his hands – an enormous multicolored feather, as long as Luke's arm.

"The journey was… a bit rough," Anakin said dismissively.

Luke glared at his father with a stern expression he usually reserved for difficult students.

"All right," Anakin confessed, annoyed. "I ran into the Furies."

"The Furies?" gaped Mentia. "Those bitches?"

"Mentia!" snapped Phillipa.

"Well, they are!" Mentia protested. "Aren't they, Anakin? Don't tell me they don't look like dogs!"

Anakin smirked. "They do indeed resemble dog women."

"And they're extremely nasty," Jenny put in. "They accuse everyone they meet of patricide – of somehow tormenting or even killing their parents. No matter who you are or how you treated your mother and father, they'll find some evidence that you're somehow abusing or neglecting them. And they especially enjoy flogging their victims to death… or, if they can't flog them, throwing a curse at them."

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" demanded Luke.

"They said they couldn't touch me because of the game restrictions," Anakin explained. "That didn't stop them from making some rather pointed remarks, however."

At that moment, Leia did something absolutely shocking. She stepped forward and gently placed a hand on Anakin's arm.

"I'm sorry," Leia told him.

Anakin stared at her, stunned, mouth hanging slightly open. Leia gave an amused smile and placed a finger to his chin, closing his mouth. Anakin just stared a second longer, then burst into laughter.

"You are indeed like your mother," he marveled.

Leia's smile widened. "When this is all over, I'd like to meet her."

"We can arrange that," Anakin replied.

"Enough with this mush," complained Mentia. "Where's your army?"

"The Simurgh provided me with two keys to repairing the damage wrought by the Crypt Keeper," Anakin replied, holding up the feather. "The first is one of her feathers, which she told me have healing properties."

Jenny whistled. "Very strong healing properties, too. Don't lose that or break it. We'll definitely need it."

"The second is the code needed to reformat the Interface. It should seal off any holes or rifts that the Crypt Keeper caused."

Mentia snorted. "That's no army."

"It's still something crucial," Luke replied.

The zombie centaur emerged from the castle, leading a thin, middle-aged man in a black suit. The Zombie Master was dark-haired and as pale-skinned as one of his charges and seemed rather quiet and reserved, but he looked handsome in an elegant sort of way and wore a kindly expression. Upon seeing the bizarre assortment of creatures and people that had gathered practically on his doorstep, he arched a black eyebrow.

"I was informed you needed to see me?"

All eyes turned to Luke, somehow expecting him to take charge. Though it was only natural – as a Jedi Knight, he was supposed to be capable of handling things like this.

"Do you rent out your catacombs to a man called the Crypt Keeper?" he asked.

The Zombie Master nodded. "I do."

"Have you noticed anything… suspicious going on with him lately?"

Again the Zombie Master nodded. "He's usually a quiet border. But the past few weeks things have been rather noisy. He's had a lot of guests as well."

"Did any of these guests stand out in any way? Say, four of them?"

The Zombie Master's eyes lit up in recognition, and he nodded again. "Yes, as a matter of fact. Four men on horseback. There was something strange about them, but I can't put my finger on it…"

Luke extended a hand. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. My friends and I are here to confront the Crypt Keeper."

The Zombie Master's expression didn't change. "What has he done?" he inquired casually.

"We believe he's involved in a plot to bring down the Interface."

His brow furrowed. "That's a serious charge."

"Do you think we'd bring our own army if we weren't serious?" demanded Fett.

"No, you wouldn't," the Zombie Master confessed. "Well, come on in. I was about to have a meeting with an old friend of mine, but I think this is a bit more important."

To Luke's surprise, the inside of the castle was luxurious and scrubbed clean, with rich tapestries over the walls adding to the opulent effect. Their host led them to a grand conference room, where a lone young man sat at the long table.

"Trent, I'm afraid we'll have to cut this visit short," the Zombie Master told him. "Something's come up."

Trent stood. "Then I'll be on my way. It was nice chatting with you again…"

Jenny's eyes bulged. "Trent? Magician Trent?"

Trent nodded. "The same, Jenny Elf. Why do you ask?"

"Who's Magician Trent?" asked Leia.

"He was once the King of Xanth," Anakin replied, "but he retired long ago. His daughter, Irene, is queen of Xanth. Trent is a fully fledged Magician, with the talent of altering the shape of any living thing."

Luke looked Trent up and down. He didn't seem old enough to have a queen-aged daughter…

"I'm older than I look," Trent told him, guessing at his thoughts. "I've imbibed in water from the Fountain of Youth at one time."

"How old are you now?" asked Luke.

"Ninety-six, why?"

Luke whistled. "Never mind."

"So what is this 'something' that has come up?" Trent inquired.

Luke took a few minutes to explain. Like the Zombie Master, Trent betrayed no emotion during Luke's account.

"Xanth is indeed in danger," Trent replied, cupping his chin. "Hmm. I'd suggest you go to the King of Xanth with this information, but it would seem there isn't time now. No matter. Now you mentioned seeds…"

Jenny produced the bag. Trent scooped a few seeds out of the bag and examined them closely.

"Irene's so much better at identifying these than I," he murmured. "Her talent is growing plants, after all…"

"Too bad she's not here," Jenny remarked.

Fett stepped forward and pulled out a few seeds. "I have an idea. Phillipa, can you make a Fountain of Youth with your talent?"

"Haven't tried it, but I'm pretty sure I can. Why?"

"Can you make the opposite? A Fountain of Age?"

She considered that. "I don't know. There's not much demand for those. But seeing as I'm suddenly morbidly curious…" She dipped her head and touched her horn tips to the stone floor. Almost instantly water gushed up from between the stones and formed a grayish pool.

"If you have a plan, could you at least let us know the details?" demanded Mentia.

Fett ignored her. He knelt beside the pool, taking great care not to touch it, and dropped his seeds one by one into the shallowest water possible.

The seeds absorbed the water swiftly, bursting from their husks and uncoiling their green leaves like hatching chicks. As the spring's aging magic did its work, the plants matured and took on their true forms, glowing with vibrant health. Luke recognized the plants almost at once.

"Cat nip!" he exclaimed.

"Cat nip?" repeated Fett.

"What the blanking good is cat nip gonna do us?" demanded Mentia.

Luke opened his mouth to say he didn't know, but a light seemed to flicker on in his mind, and he burst out laughing.

"I'm badly in need of a joke myself," the Zombie Master remarked.

"The catacombs," Luke replied, still laughing. "It's another pun. If the Crypt Keeper is gathering an army in the catacombs, what creatures do you think his army will be made up of?"

"Zombies?" tried Jenny.

"No, think 'pun,'" Luke encouraged. "You can guess this."

Sammy rubbed up against Leia's leg, and almost instantly she caught what Luke was implying.

"Cats?" she said in disbelief. "An army of cats?"

"Oh boy," Jenny said in an overwhelmed tone. "This could be ugly. There are many cat-based creatures out there – griffons, sphinxes, ant lions, cat-apults, kitty hawks, paper tigers, cat burglars, tiger snakes, tiger moths… and many of them are very dangerous."

"Then it only makes sense that the cat nip will do you some good on the journey," Trent remarked. "Best take some of that aging water with you – you'll need it to activate the cat nip, and perhaps it can be used as a weapon of its own."

Preparations were swiftly made for the battle. The Zombie Master provided containers for the aging water and offered the aid of his best zombies to lead them down to the catacombs. Some of the cat nip was activated for ready use and stuffed into Luke's bag. Fett revealed a weapon horde of his own – a harvest of cherry bombs – and Jenny gave everyone a brief instruction on how to use the explosives.

Finally Leia raised her hands to silence everyone. "All right, we're ready as we'll ever be. Any more of this will just be stalling the inevitable. We should go."

"Right," Luke agreed. "Everyone ready to go?"

"Ready," Jenny grinned.

Fett nodded.

"Reporting for duty," Anakin replied.

"If I have to," grumbled Mentia.

"I'm ready!"

Luke stared. That was Phillipa's voice, all right… but who was this?

"Phillipa?" Fett breathed, and even through the mask it was obvious he was gaping.

"I took the liberty of… altering her form," Trent replied. "She told me she felt useless without being able to handle a weapon or otherwise aid your group. So I gave her a different form… and I must say it quite becomes her."

That went without saying. Magician Trent had transformed the dragon-horse into a human girl – and a very attractive one at that. Her hair was an odd color of metallic blue-silver that hung down to her mid-back, and her sculpted features, long neck, and slanted green eyes gave her an exotic look. A blue-green dress, cut and tailored to allow maximum movement, clung to her curves and accentuated her beauty.

Fett stared a long time, then shook his head as if to clear it, then went right back to staring.

"All right, lovebird, snap out of it," ordered Phillipa, leaning over and giving him a quick kiss on the side of his helmet. "Let's go kick some Crypt Keeper behind."


	16. Reformat

**Part XVI – Reformat**

Leia was the first to descend down the stairs and into the catacombs, holding a torch and flanked on either side by slightly decayed but heavily armed zombies. The stone corridors of the catacombs were cold and damp, with claw marks etching the stone here and there and a definite cat smell tainting the air. Luke followed close behind, hands held tensely at his sides like those of a gunslinger, ready to grab either lightsaber or sword as the occasion warranted. Fett and Phillipa, each carrying a blaster, came in next, followed by Jenny, who had borrowed a vibroblade from Fett. Anakin and Mentia were last, the former holding his lightsaber loosely in one hand, the latter shifting rapidly between various forms in an effort to decide which would be best for fighting the Horsemen's army.

"Which way?" asked Luke. The catacombs were a labyrinth of stone corridors, and already they were presented with a choice of five possible routes.

"Sammy," instructed Leia, "find the Crypt Keeper."

Sammy meowed and set off at a lope, taking the third doorway and leading their party through the twisting halls. Luke ignited his saber and dragged it along the wall, leaving a trail for the army to follow once they were summoned. It was agreed that, once they located the Crypt Keeper and his army, Fett would summon the imps, who would alert the rest of their waiting forces on the way down to the catacombs.

Leia took a deep breath as she pressed forward, focusing her thoughts. This was just another battle against evil, she told herself, even if that evil took on the form of a cat army and the Four Horsemen rather than the Empire. She was used to these struggles by now. This one might be waged between stranger creatures, but underneath it was no different from every other fight she had been involved in. Except for one distinct difference – she had no need to fear death this time, only a swift return to her world.

And more importantly, she had allies. Luke fought by her side, and Jenny, Phillipa, and Mentia, new allies and friends. Fett, once someone to be feared, had become an unlikely collaborator, and Anakin…

She had to accept the fact that he was her father. She may not like it, but it wasn't as if she could change it, any more than she could change her skin. If Luke, who had also suffered a great deal at the hands of Vader, could forgive and accept him, then perhaps it was time she did the same. And it was high time she spoke with him, as she had promised Luke she would do.

After the battle, of course. There wasn't time now.

Sammy stopped in his tracks and hissed. His back arched, his fur stiffened and spiked, and his lips curled back to reveal wicked fangs.

"What is it, Sammy?" asked Jenny.

He gave a low growl… as another cat stepped from the shadows, black with white paws and a white patch on its chest. The second cat hissed and tensed, ready to spring.

"Oh no," Jenny gasped. "Sammy, don't fight it! It's a…"

Too late. Sammy and the other cat locked in battle, spitting and howling savagely, claws and teeth flashing. Luke reached down to separate them, but Anakin held him back.

The battle ended quickly. Sammy dropped onto his side and was still. The other cat shook itself vigorously, licked at its wounded front leg, and limped away.

"Sammy!" Jenny bent down and scooped up her cat, searching everywhere for injury. Aside from a deep bite to the shoulder, he was unmarked, but he didn't respond to her cry.

"It was a catatonia," Anakin explained. "Its bite makes its victims catatonic. Sammy cannot help us until he recovers – by which time it may be too late."

Leia closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her forehead. Could things never be easy?

"Did you eat a bowl of stupid for breakfast, Anakin?" demanded Mentia, who was currently in roc form. "You have the Simurgh's feather!"

"Can it cure the bite of a catatonia?" asked Phillipa.

"There's only one way to find out," Luke replied.

Anakin handed over the feather, and Luke touched its tip to Sammy's shoulder. The bite marks closed, and the cat opened his eyes. Jenny lowered him to the floor, and he stretched, gave his fur a few preliminary licks, and trotted off to find the Crypt Keeper again.

Jenny threw her arms around first Luke, then Anakin. "Thank you so much!"

"Hey, I suggested it!" shrieked Mentia, now in goblin form.

"And thank you too, Mentia," Jenny replied, hugging the demoness even as she shifted from goblin shape to ogress shape.

"Ah, forget the mushy stuff," Mentia grumbled, shaking the girl off. "Let's move it before we lose the cat."

They moved on. Two more turns, down a short flight of stairs…

And they entered what looked like someone's sleeping quarters, albeit sleeping quarters as large as the average person's apartment. A very messy bed was shoved in one corner, and a desk with a miniature version of Com Pewter on it occupied another. Clothes, books, food wrappers, and crumpled pieces of paper littered the floor, and taped to the stone walls were posters depicting – of all things – people of the Star Wars galaxy. She was startled to recognize herself, Luke, and Fett among the pictures, as well as a younger version of General Kenobi, a fearsome tattooed warrior labeled as "MAUL," and a lightsaber-bearing droid she recognized from a holofile of the Clone Wars, one General Grievous.

Hunched over the computer, tapping furiously away as if his life depended on it, was a scrawny young man in faded jeans and a black T-shirt.

"Hey, Crypt Keeper!" shouted Mentia, now a harpy.

The man whirled.

He was not what Leia had expected. No cunning warrior or brilliant strategist here – this was a man barely out of his teenage years, his skin still flawed with acne. Pale from years of solitude in the catacombs, he had red-brown hair that stuck out in all directions, old-fashioned corrective lenses with ugly black plastic frames, a gaunt bony face like a young Grand Moff Tarkin's, and ears that stuck out like banners. His shirt bore the image of a battle-ready Darth Vader, and on a chain around his neck hung a cheap pendant of a dragon.

"What-do-you-want?" he demanded in a nervous rush.

"Are you the Crypt Keeper?" Luke inquired, raising his saber.

"Yeah," the young man said unsurely. "What's it to you?"

"You're destroying our world," Phillipa snarled, her now-human lips curled back. "We're here to stop you."

He shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no, you don't understand! I'm HELPING Xanth!"

"Ha!" barked Mentia, now in dragon form.

"I'm serious!" he insisted. "I mean, sure, Xanth is great, but it could be better, y'know? If we just opened up the Interface, Xanthians could have access to everything Mundanians enjoy. Wouldn't Xanth benefit from such things as the Internet, or radio, or television, or cell phones? Sure, they have magic that takes care of communication needs, but sometimes magic isn't enough, or for some reason it doesn't work. And if another Time of No Magic hits Xanth… wouldn't Mundanian technology help the people continue to function?"

"Xanth and Mundania aren't supposed to mix," Jenny retorted. "Yes, people can come to Xanth a few at a time to mix with the people here, and people from Xanth can occasionally visit Mundania. But the Interface was put up for a reason – to protect the worlds from a full-scale exposure. Xanth and Mundania are so different that if the Interface comes down, they'll destroy each other."

"You think that because you haven't been told any different," the Crypt Keeper replied in a rational tone. "Everyone is scared of what they don't understand. Mundanians are just as frightened of magic as Xanthians are frightened of technology. But give it a little while, and you'll soon see. The Four Horsemen, for example – they were pretty spooked by my technical gadgets at first, but now they're so excited about my plan…"

"The Horsemen have deluded you," Anakin said sternly. "The only reason they are interested in your plot is because it fits their own agenda of destruction."

"They've generously offered to help me!" the Crypt Keeper shot back.

"Their only objective is to destroy Xanth!" Luke shouted. "That's why they're helping you! They know bringing the Interface down will destroy Xanth!"

The Crypt Keeper shook his head emphatically. "No, it won't. You'll see. Xanth survived the Waves. It survived the Time of No Magic. It survived the plotting of Darius and the World Demons. No, not only survived – thrived! It's grown stronger after every challenge. And it will be strengthened by this." He turned back to the computer and kept tapping away.

So their foe had no malicious intent at all – he was only misguided. Not that it made much difference. A fool was every bit as dangerous as an actively evil enemy, especially a fool who was also a pawn for greater evil…

"Get away from the computer, Crypt Keeper," Mentia snarled. She looked like a rabid unicorn now. "GET AWAY!"

The man acted as if he hadn't heard her. "One more password…" he muttered.

"Mentia, his name!" hissed Jenny. "Call him by his real name! He'll have to listen to you then!"

She hesitated, shifting to werewolf form in the process, then took her advice.

"Get away from the computer… Supernova."

Dead silence. The Crypt Keeper turned slowly around to stare, bewildered, at the demoness. Leia couldn't help but stare at her as well. She had to be joking. Who in their right mind would name their child…

"Supernova?" repeated Luke. "What kind of name is that?"

Fett snorted in laughter.

"What… did you… call me?" the Crypt Keeper demanded quietly.

"I called you Supernova," Mentia replied triumphantly, now in naga form. "Isn't that your name, pal?"

"No!" he shrieked, clapping his hands over his ears. "Don't call me that, it's not my name!"

Mentia didn't know when to quit. She kept repeating the name over and over in a singsong tone, altering her voice every now and again just for kicks. All the while the Crypt Keeper's shouts of denial kept getting louder and louder, which only egged the demoness on.

"All right!" he screamed. "All right, you've had your fun! Now just… go away and let me finish this!"

"Supernova, if you touch that computer, you face our wrath," Phillipa said in a threatening tone that was spoiled by an amused chuckle.

He winced at hearing his name again. Slowly, he held both hands in the air and backed away from the computer… then lunged for the keyboard.

"No!" Leia shouted, bolting forward. But before she could stop him, he had struck the keys, and a thunder of hooves rang from the stone walls.

Anakin shouted something that made the Grievous poster burst into flames. "He's summoned his friends! Fett, call the army!"

Fett plunged his hands into his pack and withdrew the flute. But he hesitated.

"Fett, what are you waiting for?" demanded Luke.

"He has helmet issues!" Phillipa shouted back, grabbing the flute from him. "Here, let me!" And she piped a swift trilling tune.

Before the final note could die away, an enormous form burst from the doorway and skidded to a stop in the center of the room – a shining rider on a white horse. Encased in gleaming steel armor from head to toe, the visor of his gold-crowned helmet was up to reveal fiery eyes and a scarred visage, and in his gauntleted hands he clutched a heavy bow set with a wickedly barbed arrow. His steed, a handsome stallion, snorted and pawed, impatient to wade into the thick of battle and carry his rider on some fearsome campaign.

"War," gasped Jenny.

A second horse clattered into the room, this one red – not the shade of brown that zoologists often called red, but a deep bloody red. It was a miracle this beast could even carry a rider, for it was little more than a skeleton wrapped in hide, its bones jutting cruelly through the skin. The rider, dressed in tattered wine-red robes, had a gaunt starved look but was nowhere near as bad off as his mount, and a heavy scarf obscured all but his flashing, desperate eyes. In one bony hand he clutched a tarnished but sharp sword.

"Famine," Luke murmured.

The third horse, so black it seemed to reflect no light at all, followed, staggering and limping, eyes glazed and skin covered with parasites and oozing sores. Every breath wheezed from its nostrils, and when it came to a halt beside its brethren it dropped its head as if its neck were too weak to lift it. The being upon its back was wrapped in black rags like a leper or mummy, only his bloodshot eyes visible, and he coughed violently and shook with pain. Something metallic hung from one arm, and it took Leia a moment to recognize it as an antique set of scales.

"Pestilence," Mentia gaped.

The last horse entered regally, not at a dead run like the others, but almost prancing, as if it were a show horse. The ivory-colored beast was a flawless specimen of its kind, perfectly proportioned and blindingly beautiful. And its rider… not a skeleton, as most people pictured him, but a man, clad in a flowing robe black as Pestilence's horse, his face open to the world. He was as painfully handsome as his steed, yet there was a deep and unsettling aura about him, as if he were a Sith Lord.

"Death," Anakin breathed.

War turned to face Supernova. "What's going on here?" he demanded in a harsh voice, like clashing blades or an exploding thermal detonator. "Who are these people?"

"We're here to stop your plot!" Jenny told him, mustering as much courage as she could, though her voice sounded weak and frightened compared to War's.

Famine laughed, a high eerie sound like a child's sobs. "Elf girl, do you truly think that the seven of you are sufficient to keep our plan from going forward?"

"Stop talking and get them out of here!" Supernova demanded in a frazzled tone. "I haven't finished with the Interface, and I can't concentrate…"

"Oh, we'll get them out of here soon enough," rasped Pestilence, coughing and gasping between words. "We wouldn't want you to be _distracted _from your mission, would we?"

Death smiled. Apparently the fourth Horseman was as silent as his Mundanian counterpart. But the meaning of that chilling grin was perfectly clear.

"Before you kill us, can we just say one thing?" asked Luke.

War, Famine, and Pestilence laughed all the harder, and Death's smile widened. "Make it quick," snarled War.

"Duck!" he advised, pulling Leia backward.

And an enormous, calloused, broken-nailed, stinking foot crashed through the ceiling, followed by an immense hairy leg. From the gaping rift in the ceiling poured centaurs, imps, and crossbreeds in a seemingly never-ending stream, descending upon the Four Horsemen like a tidal wave. Startled, the Horsemen's mounts skittered and whinnied, and they had to fight to control the beasts.

A terrible bellow, and the entire north wall of the Crypt Keeper's sleeping quarters was smashed in with a flick of a cat-apult's tail. Hisses, yowls, and roars joined the twang of bows, howl of ogres, and crack of blast-its as the feline army of the Four Horsemen clashed with their ragtag forces. Fur, arrows, and bolts of fire flew with reckless abandon.

Leia hastily dodged an ogre's foot, wishing she'd thought to bring a weapon into Xanth.

"Leia, here!" Jenny shouted, handing her a canteen. "I'll scatter seeds, and you water them!"

"Good idea," she replied. "But wait a moment. Let's concentrate on where the fighting's the roughest."

It didn't take long to find an opportunity. Two enormous feline beasts, as transparent as crystal and striped with every color imaginable, were twined in combat with an apparent dragon-hippogriff crossbreed, and the crossbreed was definitely on the losing end of the battle. And to make matters worse, War was quickly approaching, an arrow pointed directly at the dragon-hippogriff's heart. Jenny flung a handful of the seeds, and Leia followed up with a quick slosh of water.

The plants sprouted and matured, snapping viciously at the ankles of the glass tigers. The beasts roared in pain, but they found the cat nip plants irresistible and turned their attentions to them. The crossbreed, scratched and bleeding, disentangled himself from the fighting just in time to dodge the arrow. War snarled at being denied his rightful prey and turned on Leia, aiming.

She didn't stop to think but heaved the canteen, drenching the Horseman and his steed.

"Um, was that smart?" asked Jenny. "Demons and night mares are immortal, and he's both… they can't really age…"

"All things age," Leia countered, though in retrospect she had to wonder if she had acted prudently. What effects would water from an age spring have on an immortal?

They didn't have to wait long to find out. War dropped his bow and wiped angrily at his face and arms as if to brush the water away. But it was no use – the liquid clung to him, and even as the two women watched he began to fade.

"No!" he snarled. "What's happening?"

Leia smiled with realization. "What happens to all supposedly immortal gods and deities – they are forgotten with time. And when they're forgotten, they cease to exist."

War screamed, a sound like blaster fire, as he and his mount vanished.

"Good job!" Jenny cheered. "Let's see if we can try that on the others!"

_Break…_

Fett and Phillipa stood back-to-back, blast-hers pumping furiously. Due to the quirks of Xanth, their weapons could only shoot females, but seeing as the Horsemen's army seemed to be an even mix of both genders, they made considerable progress against the enemy. And the imps and centaurs quickly picked off any male foes that came after them.

"For a beginner, you're not that bad a shot," Fett congratulated, pulling the trigger and dropping an oncoming griffon.

"Thanks," she replied, shooting at a paper tiger and setting its backside on fire. "I suppose from you, that's as high of praise as I can expect to get."

He laughed as he plugged the catatonia that had attacked Sammy earlier. "I could get used to you, Phillipa."

"And I guess I could get used to you, Fett," she retorted, firing upon an ant lioness.

A clatter of hooves, and Famine charged them, sword raised, bloodlust in his eyes.

Fett smiled grimly under his mask, then shrugged off his pack. He'd intended to use the cherry bombs one at a time, but if the Horsemen were truly as terrible as Mentia would have them, it might take more than a handful…

Famine's horse skidded to a frantic halt and shrieked in pure terror as Fett let the entire pack fly, and the Horseman raised his arms in a futile gesture. The resulting blast shook the entire castle and caused several more walls to collapse from the shock wave.

Phillipa staggered to regain her balance. "Not smart, Fett! Demons can't be killed in the conventional ways! Blowing him up won't do anything…"

"Not true," Mentia piped up, appearing at their side in the form of a wyvern. "Not when that much firepower is used. If he'd just thrown one bomb, or even a handful, Famine would have gone to pieces, but he could have pulled himself back together again. But with that much of a blast… he's practically been reduced to molecules. No demon has ever managed to reconstruct himself from that brutal a blast."

"So Famine is gone?" asked Fett.

"Gone," Mentia replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to be tending to." And she vanished, but not before assuming the form of a griffon. Apparently her "business" had something to do with the stork. Some things didn't change.

A snarl attracted their attention, and they turned to see a sphinx tensing to spring. Seeing this particular specimen was male, Fett holstered his blaster and fired a rocket at the beast. The war was far from over.

_Break…_

Luke drew his lightsaber as Pestilence charged, unsure whether the blade would even affect a demon-night mare but determined to try. As the Horseman bore down on him, he leaped to the side and slashed, aiming for the horse's neck. Unsurprisingly, the blade passed through the beast as if it were a hologram.

"Good try, Jedi boy," wheezed Pestilence. "But not good enough." He spun his mount around and charged again.

Luke extinguished the blade and instead drew his sword. Where was Anakin? He knew a lot more about Xanth than Luke; why wasn't he here to help him?

A pain-wracked roar answered his question. Anakin was in dragon form, locked in deadly combat with the cat-apult. Even as Luke watched, the cat-apult sank deadly fangs into Anakin's shoulder, teeth grinding against the bone.

"Father, no!"

Pestilence gave a gurgling laugh, and Luke barely dodged the charge in time. The Horseman jerked a wickedly curved knife from his body wrappings and leaned down to swipe at him.

"Luke, move!"

Leia! He didn't hesitate but flung himself aside as a sudden spray of water soaked Pestilence to the skin. He stared at Leia with an expression of utmost horror as he faded away.

Luke didn't bother to question what had just happened but grabbed Leia by the arm. "We have to help Anakin! He's in trouble!"

"Luke, we have to leave him!" Leia retorted. "The Crypt Keeper's getting away!"

Luke followed her gaze. The Crypt Keeper had stuffed his computer under one arm and was hauling himself onto the back of Death's horse. Evidently things were getting way too noisy here for the Crypt Keeper to concentrate on the Interface.

Luke looked his sister in the eye. "You go after him. Do what you can to keep him from opening the Interface. I'll get Father. He's the only one with the code to fix the damage."

She embraced him. "Be careful."

"I will," he vowed.

Chas Centaur halted next to them, and Leia mounted him and urged him after the fleeing Horseman.

Luke turned back to the cat-apult. He was too far away to help, and a great seething mass of fighting beasts stood between them. If he was to defeat the cat-apult, he had to use other means…

He clutched the imps' sword. _/Imp-eror, forgive me my disrespect of your gift, but I think it's more disposable than my lightsaber./ _And with that, he drew on the Force and let it fly.

The cat-apult released its grip on Anakin and screamed in agony as the blade sank to the hilt between its ribs. The dragon jerked away and staggered toward Luke as the giant cat slumped to the stone floor.

"Father, where's the Simurgh's feather?" demanded Luke.

The dragon sank to his belly and tilted his great head, and the feather drifted down from behind his horns. Luke picked it up and hurriedly circled Anakin, stroking the bleeding shoulder and any other wounds he could find. Once he was sure his father was out of danger, he tucked the feather back into his belt where the sword had once gone.

Anakin resumed human form, looking exhausted but unhurt. "Thank you, my son."

"C'mon!" Luke urged. "Leia's chasing the Crypt Keeper! We have to stop him!"

"Luke…" began Anakin, but he grimaced as if in pain. "Lead the way."

Luke stared at him. Had he missed an injury?

"Go, Luke!" Anakin ordered. "He could be ripping the barrier already!"

"Sammy!" Luke shouted over the din. "Find the Crypt Keeper!"

The cat streaked toward them, dodging feet and hooves and claws, and bolted down a passageway. The two Jedi followed.

An amazing sight met their eyes. Leia had the Crypt Keeper backed into a dead-end corridor, a canteen of water at the ready. Supernova was crouched in a corner, arms up as if to fend off a blow, whimpering, Chas keeping an arrow trained at him. Of Death there was no sign, though the floor was soaked.

"So the aging water affects demons after all?" inquired Anakin.

"Yes," Leia replied. "But I wasn't able to get him before Supernova here finished breaking the code."

"You're kidding," Luke shot back, stunned.

She shook her head. "Whatever the Simurgh told you, Anakin, now's the time to put it to use."

The ground beneath their feet shuddered, and the air filled with a stench like ozone. From outside Castle Zombie came a great rending sound as the Interface began pulling apart. The Crypt Keeper wore a satisfied expression.

"Father, the password!" Luke shouted.

Anakin winced again. "I cannot repair the Interface. I am a Companion. Only a Player can repair the Interface."

"Then I'll do it!" Luke knelt before the Crypt Keeper's computer.

"Don't!" came the shriek. "You'll undo years of careful planning…"

"Oh, stuff it, Supernova," Luke replied impatiently. "Father, tell me the code!"

"Luke…" A grunt of pain.

"Father, the code!"

Silence. When Luke turned toward Anakin, he was stunned to see a serene expression on his face.

"Luke, Leia, I love you both very much," he said warmly. "Never, ever forget that."

"Father!" Luke shouted. Why was he stalling? Every moment they delayed, the less chance they had of repairing the damage.

"Interface. Shutdown. Reformat. Recompile."

Luke turned back to the computer and began typing. INTERFACE. SHUTDOWN. REFORMAT. RECOMPILE.

The ground shook again. The rending became an ominous sucking sound.

Anakin screamed.


	17. Consequences

**Part XVII – Consequences**

Four of the World Demons had convened again, and F(O/R)CE felt nothing but apprehension at the prospect. The last time Demon J(U/P)ITER had gathered E(A/R)TH, X(A/N)TH, and F(O/R)CE together, it had been to chastise them for their conduct in an ongoing gamble. But there was no wager in progress at the moment, so what was going on that would require the four of them? Had there been a disaster? What kind of disaster could affect three such widely dissimilar realms?

E(A/R)TH gave F(O/R)CE a look that most mortals reserved for vermin. The Demon of Mundania still hadn't forgiven him for winning their last wager. Not that F(O/R)CE had had much control over it. True, he had given the Skywalkers a boost in their quest, but it had been they who had utilized his support to its fullest potential. If E(A/R)TH thought the victory unfair, he should have taken it up with J(U/P)ITER, not born a grudge against him…

Then again, that could be the reason they were presently gathered before the leader of the World Demons at this very moment.

"We are here to discuss Demon X(A/N)TH's conduct," J(U/P)ITER thundered, quickly dismissing that possibility.

X(A/N)TH put on an expression of sweetest innocence. "What did I do?"

"You have caused direct harm to a citizen of F(O/R)CE's realm without his consent."

That got the attention of both E(A/R)TH and F(O/R)CE. No World Demon had the right to touch the citizens of another planet unless that planet's demon gave express permission. The gamble involving Luke and Vader had been such a case in point – if F(O/R)CE had not given his authorization, they could not have used the two men in the gamble.

X(A/N)TH's blameless expression looked so genuine that, had F(O/R)CE not suspected otherwise, he would have thought that J(U/P)ITER's accusation was a lie. "I assure you, my comrade, that I have done nothing of the sort…" he protested, turning toward the Demon of the Galaxy Far, Far Away.

"A citizen of the GFFA, one Anakin Skywalker, crossed over to Xanth upon his death," J(U/P)ITER boomed, shutting X(A/N)TH up in a hurry. "He volunteered to participate in the game that unites the realms of you three, serving as a Companion to his son Luke. Is it not true, Demon X(A/N)TH, that you intentionally caused Luke to lose the game… and then deliberately arranged matters to make Anakin a False Companion when his son re-entered the game?"

F(O/R)CE stared, stunned, at X(A/N)TH. After the game fiasco, X(A/N)TH had been angry for awhile, but then he had approached F(O/R)CE and apologized, suggesting they put all past animosity behind them. He had even been so generous as to allow Anakin into his realm after his death in the GFFA. What had changed? Had something reminded the Demon of Xanth of his loss and rekindled old rage? Or had it all been a ruse, a plot to gain vengeance?

X(A/N)TH growled and grimaced, but at last he lowered his head in defeat. "It is true."

"What!" F(O/R)CE exclaimed. "After all your talk of burying our swords, after we had formed an agreement…"

"I'm deeply sorry, my old friend," X(A/N)TH said in the sincerest of tones, but his eyes shifted cunningly, flashing with defiant satisfaction.

"You bastard!" E(A/R)TH screeched. "You forced Anakin to betray Luke!" As much as he hated F(O/R)CE, he had a strong liking for the creatures and characters of his realm.

"He did not betray Luke," X(A/N)TH assured the other demon. "He couldn't. He loved him too much." A sly smile crossed his features. "And for that, he was punished."

"A punishment you had no right to levy upon him," J(U/P)ITER reminded him in a stormy tone. "You have interfered with matters that were not yours to toy with, X(A/N)TH, and to compound the damage you have breached the trust between yourself and F(O/R)CE. These heinous acts cannot be ignored, and I am afraid that you must be punished."

X(A/N)TH smiled gloatingly. "I'll take whatever you can dish out, sir."

"Your punishment for damages toward Anakin Skywalker," J(U/P)ITER declared, "is a loss of status. You retain your realm, but your status among the World Demons will be knocked down from third to fourth. Demon E(A/R)TH, Demoness V(E/N)US, and myself are now ahead of you in the game. Your punishment for breaching your agreement with F(O/R)CE is a sentence of one year, according to Galactic Standard Time, in a mortal, corporeal form, to be spent in the GFFA… without your demon powers. F(O/R)CE shall choose what form you will take on, and your realm will be placed in his stewardship while you are serving your sentence."

That wiped the grin off X(A/N)TH's face in a hurry. A loss of status was the worst punishment J(U/P)ITER could have inflicted upon him. And spending any amount of time in corporeal form was the equivalent of prison time to the World Demons.

"F(O/R)CE, select the form X(A/N)TH shall wear for the next year," J(U/P)ITER requested.

F(O/R)CE turned to the greatest World Demon. "How did he punish Anakin?"

J(U/P)ITER answered gravely. E(A/R)TH gave a yelp of shock.

"No," F(O/R)CE protested. "He couldn't have…"

"He could, and he did," J(U/P)ITER replied. "Name the form X(A/N)TH shall take."

F(O/R)CE was normally a fair, compassionate demon, but he wasted no mercy on the demon who had so ruthlessly betrayed him and Anakin. "He shall take on the form of a dueling droid in Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy. Make sure he has slow reflexes but a top-of-the-line, fully functional pain processor. And make sure Luke knows that the droid is X(A/N)TH and exactly what he has done to earn that punishment."

"It will be done," J(U/P)ITER declared. "Go, X(A/N)TH, to the Jedi Academy and take your chosen form. F(O/R)CE shall see to Xanth's needs while you are gone."

X(A/N)TH snarled at F(O/R)CE. "We were friends. How could you do this…"

"You should have thought of that before you betrayed my trust," he replied coldly. "I think I'm through making deals with you."

X(A/N)TH vanished. His sentence in the GFFA had begun.

"Demon F(O/R)CE," J(U/P)ITER went on, "what X(A/N)TH has done to Anakin cannot be reversed. You can, however, find a way around it, but only with E(A/R)TH's help… and only if E(A/R)TH is willing."

E(A/R)TH considered, still scowling. "What's in it for me?"

"Don't push your luck," J(U/P)ITER said warningly. "We all know the only reason you didn't attempt something like this against Luke is because you were afraid of getting caught."

"E(A/R)TH, my galaxy has aided your world," F(O/R)CE told him. "The beings of my realm are an inspiration to the beings of your world. I have done your people so much good. Please, will you not return the favor?"

"Look, pal, we haven't exactly been on the best of terms," E(A/R)TH countered.

That was like saying the self-styled Emperor Palpatine had been a slightly bad apple. "Then how about a deal? You help me, and I will attempt to inspire that Mundanian man of your world – George Lucas was his name, right? – to create the seventh, eighth, and ninth 'Star Wars' films. I can't guarantee success, but I can give the fans of your world a fighting chance."

E(A/R)TH grinned eagerly. "Deal. What needs to be done?"

F(O/R)CE nodded gratefully. "First, I need to address Anakin's children."

_Break…_

The walls of Castle Zombie shook for a brief, intense moment, raining dust and fragments of rock and clouding the air. Then all was still. Even the fighting had ceased.

The quiet lasted all of ten seconds, however, and both sides of the battle shook off their shock and launched themselves at each other with renewed ferocity. The Four Horsemen were gone, the cohesive force behind the army of the catacombs had been eliminated, but the feline forces were still as dangerous as ever. It would probably take hours to finally subdue the creatures, but at least victory was now ensured.

Luke blinked to clear his eyes. "We did it," he breathed quietly. "We saved Xanth."

"We did it!" Leia exclaimed, throwing her arms around Luke's neck.

Supernova moaned as if in pain. "All that effort… all my studies…"

"Quiet," Chas ordered, pawing the ground with one forehoof. "Luke, Leia, I'll be taking this gentleman back to Centaur Isle with me. He is too dangerous to be left unsupervised. Besides, we could always use more servants."

"Go right ahead," Luke told him.

The young man continued to groan and complain as Chas hauled him up by the arm and dragged him away. "Didn't know the Horsemen meant any harm… nice enough guys… Com Pewter's gonna kill me…"

Luke turned. "Father, we did it!" He looked around. "Father?"

But Anakin was nowhere to be seen.

"Sammy, find Father," Luke ordered. "He couldn't have gone far."

Sammy cried out in distress and rolled onto his back.

"Sammy, you can find him," Luke urged. "You can find anything! Find Anakin Skywalker!"

The cat gave a desperate meow and righted himself, digging his claws into the toe of Luke's boot.

"He's not dead, is he?" Leia asked, looking concerned.

"What could have killed him?" Luke demanded. "He was here with us the whole time!"

Fett, Phillipa, and Jenny charged into the corridor, all uninjured, though Fett's chest armor smoked from a close miss. Seconds later Mentia materialized close by in a severely bedraggled griffon form. Luke had a feeling he knew what she had been up to, and it wasn't fighting… but he was in no mood to inquire at the moment.

"Have any of you seen Anakin?" asked Luke.

"He went with you!" protested Fett.

"Can't you keep track of your own Companion…" grumbled Mentia, resuming human form.

Someone cleared their throat, and their party turned to see a familiar form coming down the corridor, moth-eaten robes trailing behind him and his ever-present book tucked under one arm. But something had changed about his demeanor. Normally he wore an irritated expression. Now, he seemed… sad? No, not exactly sad, but sympathetic, perhaps, or even regretful.

"Good Magician, where's Anakin?" asked Phillipa.

The aged magician didn't look at her. He instead turned his gaze upon Luke and Leia. "I hope the two of you appreciate the sacrifice your father made on your behalf – and I hope the rest of you appreciate it too, for he acted on behalf of Xanth as well."

"What do you mean?" Luke demanded. "Where is he? What sacrifice? Tell us where he is!"

"Impatient as always, Skywalker," the Good Magician said gruffly, shaking his head. "Shut up and listen if you want to know what has become of your father."

Luke clamped his mouth shut, though the questions inside him threatened to burst free again at any moment.

"Sit down, Skywalker," he urged. "This is going to be a shock." When Luke didn't comply, the Good Magician shook his head in exasperation but went on. "Your father was a False Companion."

"What!" The exclamation came from everybody, not just Luke. Even Sammy Cat yowled.

"When you lost the first round of the game, you were sent back to your galaxy, and Anakin returned to the beginning to be available as a Companion choice. When you re-entered the game, you didn't resume the same game – you began an entirely new game, which meant that the layout of the game changed for you, including the possibility of selecting a False Companion."

"Anakin was False all this time?" Jenny asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, Jenny," the Good Magician replied. "Though he was not required to act falsely all the time. He could still help Luke through the game. But at some key point in the game, Anakin would have received instruction from Demon Grossclout or one of his henchmen to betray Luke." His face became even more haggard. "But that isn't all. The World Demon X(A/N)TH played a hand in this as well…"

Luke pressed the heels of both hands against his eyes. "'Demon X(A/N)TH is angry, he wants revenge!' I wondered what Kenya meant by that… why didn't I see it sooner…"

"What do you mean?" demanded Leia. "Who is Demon X(A/N)TH?"

"Every world is governed by a World Demon," Jenny explained, still sounding pretty stunned. "X(A/N)TH controls Xanth, E(A/R)TH controls Mundania, and F(O/R)CE controls your galaxy. But they like to gamble and bet a lot, and the first time Luke and Anakin played the game, Anakin made X(A/N)TH lose an important bet."

"And that loss enraged X(A/N)TH to the point where he designed his vengeance against Anakin," the magician replied. "Being a demon, a being of enormous intelligence, cunning, and patience, he plotted carefully. His first step was in forging an agreement with F(O/R)CE that allowed Anakin to come to Xanth after his death in your galaxy. That put Anakin in his power. His second step was in placing obstacles in Luke and Anakin's path in the course of the game, until eventually one of those obstacles resulted in his 'death' in Xanth and his ejection from the game. His third… rigging the 'random' selection of the False Companion, so that the lot fell on Anakin. He knew that Luke missed his father dearly, and that he would likely select him as Companion again, never considering the possibility that another Companion might suit him better the second time around."

"But Father never betrayed me!" Luke shouted angrily. "He helped me…"

"Up to the very end," the Good Magician agreed. "But when the time came to undo the Crypt Keeper's damage, X(A/N)TH gave Anakin a direct order – give Luke an incorrect code. Luke would have botched repairing the Interface, and Xanth would have been completely exposed to Mundania's influence. Luke would have lost the game and doomed Xanth to destruction, and the betrayal would have been accomplished."

Luke recalled how his father had cringed in pain several times during the final minutes of the battle. Had X(A/N)TH been delivering orders then, rebuking him when he protested?

"That's cruel, even for a demon," Mentia said with her usual bluntness. "Anakin would have died before betraying Luke…"

"Exactly, Mentia," the Good Magician cut in. "Exactly. X(A/N)TH knew that Anakin could not betray Luke, not even to save himself from punishment. He planned on that all along. And when Anakin defied him… he took great pleasure in penalizing him."

Luke was almost afraid to ask, but he forced himself to voice the question anyhow. He had to know… "What was his punishment?"

The Good Magician frowned. "Do you really want to know?"

"No," Luke replied. "But I HAVE to know."

"Wise choice of words," the magician commended. "Your father's punishment was exile from Xanth."

Phillipa, who had tensed upon hearing that Anakin faced punishment at X(A/N)TH's hands, visibly relaxed. "That means he's back in your galaxy and safe!"

"No, Phillipa," the Good Magician replied. "He is not there."

"He has to be somewhere!" Leia exclaimed. "He can't just… vanish!"

"He very well can, Princess," came the reply. "Remember, he died in your world. His soul could cross into Xanth and continue life here, but he could never return to the Galaxy Far, Far Away. It would mean his death… permanently. And when Demon X(A/N)TH ejected him from Xanth, sending him back to where he came from… he ceased to exist."

Luke stared, open-mouthed, at the old sorcerer. It couldn't be… his father couldn't be… dead. Not again… he couldn't have lost him again…

"I'm very sorry, Skywalker," the magician said softly. "But your father is gone. All the magic in Xanth cannot bring him back." He turned to go, then seemed to remember something and turned back. "If it is any consolation, X(A/N)TH violated the rules of the World Demons in tampering with your quest, and he has been punished. For the next year – Galactic Standard Time, mind, not Xanth time – he will reside in your Jedi Academy as the slowest of the dueling droids. Once his sentence is up, he will certainly act with considerable caution with regard to creatures not of his world." He sighed. "I'll send word to your mother, Skywalker. And once you three Players leave the catacombs, the game will be over for you. Take as long as you need here until then." He turned away and departed.

Jenny fell to her knees, scooping Sammy up in her arms. Burying her face in his soft orange fur, she sobbed uncontrollably, her cat purring anxiously and rubbing his nose against her cheek as if to ask what was the matter.

Leia embraced her brother as he, too, began weeping. Not this… not now… not when he'd finally had his father back. How could Fate have played such a cruel joke on him, offering him the possibility of finally seeing his father again, then wresting it away? How could he lose his father again? He thought he had finally healed from the loss the first time… but losing him a second time only tore those wounds freshly once again.

"Luke, I wanted him to suffer," Leia whispered in an agonized voice. "I wanted him to suffer as much as I had. But not now… not when I thought I finally had my father back… I never even had a chance to tell him I forgave him…"

"I didn't know him very well," confessed Phillipa. "But he was nothing but kind to me. I will miss him greatly, and I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Damn you all," Mentia sniffed, rubbing her nose until she had squashed it flat. "Demons aren't supposed to have emotions, but here I am tearing up over Anakin… poor guy… and Demon X(A/N)TH can just suck harpy eggs…"

Fett, who had remained silent all this time, spoke up in a gruff but not callous tone. "He was a good man. Even when he was Darth Vader, he was a good man. He had honor. Honor is a rare trait. He did not deserve what he got."

CAREFUL, FETT, THAT ALMOST SOUNDED LIKE SYMPATHY.

At once everyone leaped to their feet, brandishing various weapons.

RELAX, the voice urged amusedly. I MEAN YOU NO HARM. I ONLY WANT TO HELP.

"Who is this?" Luke demanded.

I AM DEMON F(O/R)CE, GUARDIAN OF YOUR REALM. NOW PUT THE WEAPONS DOWN.

Too stunned to protest, everyone complied.

BETTER. NOW HOLD ON FOR A SECOND…

Something flickered at the end of the corridor, like a hologram projector just warming up. Then the image solidified, taking on the form of a robed, bearded man, almost like a Jedi.

"That's what you look like?" Jenny asked, sniffing loudly and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

ACTUALLY, DEMONS HAVE NO CORPOREAL FORM… DAMMIT! The Jedi blinked out of existence. I FORGET HOW HARD IT IS TO MAINTAIN A FORM. LET'S GIVE THIS ANOTHER GO… Another image, this time that of a Tusken Raider, but this one wavered and faded. AW, SITHSPIT! LET'S TRY AGAIN… A Wookie blinked into view. OKAY, NOW I'VE GOT THE HANG OF IT, I THINK. NOW TO BUSINESS.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Mentia. "Xanth isn't your world, you know."

The Wookie gave a whuffing laugh that quickly mutated into a snarling chuckle as he transmuted into a Trandoshan. IT IS FOR THE TIME BEING. WHILE DEMON X(A/N)TH SERVES HIS PUNISHMENT IN MY REALM, I AM SERVING AS GUARDIAN OF XANTH AS WELL AS OF MY OWN GALAXY. DON'T WORRY, I'LL SEE THAT THINGS REMAIN GENERALLY THE SAME.

"But what are you doing here, with us?" asked Luke. A flash of hope penetrated his gut. "Are you here to bring my father back?"

F(O/R)CE, now in the form of a stormtrooper, shook his head. I CANNOT UNDO WHAT MY COMRADE HAD DECREED, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO. WHAT I CAN DO – AND HAVE DONE – IS ALTER THE TERMS OF ANAKIN'S PUNISHMENT.

"How?" asked Leia, sounding just as hopeful as Luke.

IT HASN'T BEEN EASY, F(O/R)CE replied. He looked like Darth Vader now, helmet, cloak, and all. I NEEDED THE COOPERATION OF DEMON E(A/R)TH, AND SEEING AS HE ISN'T EXACTLY HAPPY WITH ME EITHER… He shrugged, vanished, and reappeared as a Whiphid. BUT WE HAVE WORKED OUT A DEAL, AND I HAVE FOUND A WAY TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF X(A/N)TH'S PUNISHMENT.

The World Demon had everyone's attention now.

X(A/N)TH DECLARED THAT, SHOULD ANAKIN FAIL TO BETRAY HIS SON, HE WOULD BE EXILED FROM XANTH. HE DID NOT, HOWEVER, SPECIFY WHERE HE SHOULD BE EXILED TO, NOR FOR WHAT LENGTH OF TIME. He smiled, now in the form of a tattooed, black-cloaked Zabrak. BY DEFAULT, ANAKIN WAS EXILED TO HIS FORMER GALAXY, WHERE HE CEASED TO EXIST. BUT I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE LOCATION WHERE HE WAS TO SERVE HIS EXILE.

"Really?" asked Jenny eagerly. "Where is he now?"

WHERE ELSE? the World Demon asked, now in the form of an astromech. DEMON E(A/R)TH'S REALM, MUNDANIA.

"But that means he can't use the Force," Phillipa pointed out. "How fair is that?"

IT MEANS HE'S ALIVE, countered F(O/R)CE, disappearing and reappearing as a Gungan warrior. AND IT ALSO MEANS THAT THERE IS A CHANCE THAT HE WILL FIND THE GATEWAY BETWEEN MUNDANIA AND XANTH AND RETURN.

Luke felt weak with relief. "Thank you," he murmured, at a loss for anything else to say.

DON'T MENTION IT, F(O/R)CE replied, taking on the form of an Ewok. I HAVE A LIKING FOR THE MAN ANYHOW. HE IS MY SON, IF YOU WANT TO GET TECHNICAL ABOUT IT.

"Your son?" repeated Leia, stunned.

WELL, I DIDN'T EXACTLY "SUMMON THE STORK" WITH HIS MOTHER, the demon confessed, now in Rogue-pilot form. HE WAS CONCEIVED THROUGH MY POWER, HOWEVER, BROUGHT TO LIFE BY WHAT YOU CALL THE FORCE AND WHAT XANTHIANS CALL MAGIC. He chuckled as he took on the form of a droideka. I HAVE MY WAYS OF ENSURING THE FORCE REMAINS IN BALANCE, HOWEVER UNUSUAL THEY MAY SEEM TO MORTALS.

"Hooray!" cheered Jenny, jumping with glee. "He's coming back to Xanth! If you had a real body, I'd hug you, F(O/R)CE!"

If it was in the World Demon's power to blush, Luke was sure he would have. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT, ELF CHILD. FAREWELL, AND GOOD LUCK IN ALL YOUR FUTURE VENTURES. He vanished.

"Wait a minute!" Fett shouted.

F(O/R)CE appeared again, taking on the form of a Mandalorian warrior. YES, FETT?

"Who won the game?" he asked. "I know that sounds callous right now, but…"

F(O/R)CE smacked his forehead. YOU'RE RIGHT, I QUITE FORGOT! THE PRIZE! IT'S IN THE CRYPT KEEPER'S ROOM, BUT SEEING AS THINGS ARE KIND OF MESSY IN THERE AT THE MOMENT… He vanished, returned in the form of a nexu, and dropped a small golden box on the floor. YOU THREE FIGURE OUT WHO GETS IT.

Luke turned to Leia. "Do you want it?"

She shook her head. "No thank you. I've already gotten a gift from the game."

Luke smiled. "All right then, we defer to Fett."

WISE CHOICE, F(O/R)CE replied, now in Hutt form. AFTER ALL, I THINK HE'LL BE SPENDING A LOT MORE TIME IN XANTH FROM THIS POINT FORWARD…

Fett stepped back, startled. "But the game… as soon as I leave the catacombs…"

YOU'LL GO BACK TO OUR GALAXY, I KNOW, replied F(O/R)CE, shifting to the form of a Twi'lek dancer. BUT JUST AS THERE ARE GATEWAYS BETWEEN XANTH AND MUNDANIA, SO ARE THERE GATEWAYS BETWEEN XANTH AND OUR GALAXY. I CANNOT DIVULGE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'M SURE A HUNTER CAN FIND THE GATEWAYS EASILY ENOUGH.

Fett turned to Phillipa. She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll wait for you," she assured him.

He took her free hand in his. "I will come for you, Phillipa. I'll find the gate."

She bent down and picked up the box, handing it to him. "Take the talent."

He opened the box. A perfect sphere of green light glowed within the box, and he took it into his hand. His arm glowed green for a moment, then faded. He paused, as if receiving a telepathic message, then dropped the box.

"Well?" asked Luke. "What sort of talent is it?"

Fett didn't answer.

HE'S CONCENTRATING, F(O/R)CE noted, now in Ithorian form. HE'S TRYING TO TEST HIS TALENT…

Thunder pealed outside, and a faint drone could be heard as rain began pouring down. Fett nodded in satisfaction.

"Control of the weather?" asked Luke.

PHILLIPA HAS CONTROL OF WATER THAT IS BENEATH THE GROUND, WHICH ALLOWS HER TO CREATE SPRINGS, the demon corrected, now in bantha form. FETT NOW HAS A SIMILAR POWER – CONTROL OF WATER IN THE AIR, WHICH INCLUDES CLOUDS, MIST, AND, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE WEATHER. F(O/R)CE vanished and reappeared as a Republic Senate guard. ONCE YOU RETURN TO YOUR GALAXY, YOUR TALENT WILL BE RENDERED INACTIVE UNTIL YOU RETURN TO XANTH.

Fett nodded. "Thank you."

AND NOW, FAREWELL. F(O/R)CE vanished.

Luke sighed. "The Good Magician had me very worried there…"

"But now he's going to tell Mother that Father's dead," Leia pointed out. "How are we…"

"Sammy and I can stop by Imp Ire on our way home," Jenny pointed out. "We'll tell her everything."

Luke bent down and embraced the elf girl. "Thank you, Jenny. I'm going to miss you. But I'll be back very soon."

"So will I," Leia told her, also joining in the embrace. "Thank you for everything, Jenny."

"Hurry back," Jenny urged.

Mentia huffed. "I hate mushy scenes. Gotta go." She popped out.

"Typical," Fett grumbled. He turned and embraced Phillipa. "I will return shortly. Until then, go to Lake Eerie. If Chang and Wara refuse to admit you there, I'll deal with them when I come back."

She laughed. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself."

Jenny patted Sammy's head. "Sammy, show Luke, Leia, and Fett how to get out of the catacombs without running back into the fighting."

Sammy bolted, veering sharply to the right. Luke, Leia, and Fett followed.

"I'm going to miss this place," Leia noted. "Quirks and all."

"Think you'll play the game a little more often now?" Luke asked.

"No need," Fett replied.

Luke turned to face him as they jogged after the cat. "What makes you say that?"

He had to be smiling under the helmet. "I think I know where the gateway is."

_Break…_

Anakin shot to his feet, panting and shaking, cold sweat drenching his robes. Where was he? What had just happened? X(A/N)TH had threatened him with exile from Xanth – and instant oblivion – if he defied him. Whatever this was, it couldn't be oblivion…

"What the heck?"

He whirled. Two men were staring at him, one in stormtrooper armor, the other wearing the same jet-black armor he had once worn years ago. Close by was parked a battered silver-blue vehicle, plastered with Star-Wars-themed bumper stickers and its hood up to reveal a smoking engine. Surrounding the three of them was a wide, barren expanse of scrub-dotted desert, the only sign of civilization being a ribbon of paved road slicing through.

Before he could ask anything of the two men, a voice sounded in his head.

F(O/R)CE OWES ME BIG FOR THIS!

_/What do you mean? And who are you/_

DEMON E(A/R)TH. X(A/N)TH BROKE THE RULE THAT STATES NO DEMON CAN MESS WITH THE DENIZENS OF ANOTHER WORLD WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND HE'S BEING PUNISHED. DEMON F(O/R)CE AND I CHANGED YOUR PUNISHMENT. YOU'RE IN MUNDANIA NOW.

Anakin looked around, bemused. This was the land all Xanth feared?

THE GATEWAY BACK TO XANTH IS IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. GO FIND IT. AND FAREWELL.

So he would not face death again for defying X(A/N)TH. And the path back to Xanth had been pointed out. He smiled, feeling confident for the first time in days. The Force – or F(O/R)CE, if one wanted to see it that way – had come through for him again.

"He's probably a hobo," the Vader impersonator muttered. "Who else would be sleeping on the side of a highway…"

"He doesn't look like a hobo," the stormtrooper murmured. "Hobos don't wear robes…"

"I'm not a hobo," Anakin assured them. "Your names?"

"I'm Douglas," the stormtrooper told him. "This is my friend Christian."

"Hello Douglas, Christian. Could you tell me where I am?"

"Texas," Christian replied.

"We're on our way to a convention in Florida," Douglas replied. "Why?"

Anakin's gaze moved to their broken-down car. "If I repair your vehicle, will you give me a ride?"

Douglas and Christian exchanged an inscrutable look. Then Douglas turned back to him. "Don't see why not."

Anakin's smile widened, and he turned his attention to the vehicle.

_/I love you, children, Padme. I'll be home very soon./_


	18. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

In a large clearing just south of Imp Ire, white-armored troopers kept the excited citizens away as two massive starships settled down carefully – one a shabby disc-shaped freighter, the other a slightly less battered craft bristling with guns. As the imps watched, enthralled, the landing ramp of the freighter lowered, and three humans and a huge shaggy beast disembarked. From the other ship emerged an armored human who moved to join the others.

"I've done some stupid things in my life," Han Solo said with a shudder, "but that was the worst."

"Come on, Han, it worked out," Luke told him, slapping his shoulder. "And the Falcon was never in any danger."

"Still, flying into the Maw… on purpose, even…"

"How did you ever find out the Maw was the gateway, Fett?" Luke asked, turning toward the hunter. Most pilots avoided the Maw, a cluster of black holes, at all costs. What had made Fett decide to risk it?

"Old spacer tales," he replied. "Ships are constantly being sucked into black holes. But an old legend my father told me spoke of a passenger ship that fell in the Maw… and reappeared years later on the opposite side of the galaxy, its occupants insane and speaking of bizarre beasts and landscapes. It seems they were not mad after all."

Han stopped in his tracks, looking down at the imps with an expression of mingled amusement and surprise. "Hmm… remember what I told you about short help, kid?"

"No short jokes, please," Sergeant Ressive requested. He turned to Luke. "So this is the friend of yours that's marrying your sister today?"

"It is," Luke replied.

Ressive nodded. "Everything's been set up in the village square. I think you'll approve, Walker of the Sky. We have a few surprises." He motioned for their party to follow.

Luke smiled as they walked the short distance to Imp Ire. It had been three months since they had departed Xanth, three months since the defeat of the Crypt Keeper and Horsemen… and the thwarting of X(A/N)TH's plot. During that time, Luke had been incredibly eager to return, if only to see if his father had found the pathway back. But his responsibilities at the Academy got in the way, and for a time it seemed he would never return…

Until Fett had blasted his way past an entire squadron of X-wings to reach the Academy and deliver some exciting news – he had found the gateway.

So this excursion had been planned. Leia wanted what family she had left to be present at her wedding, and seeing as Padme couldn't come to their galaxy, they had decided to come to Xanth for the wedding. Han hadn't been exactly thrilled at the prospect – having never been to the screwball alternate world, he couldn't appreciate it quite yet – but in the end he had agreed to it for Leia's sake. "Anything for a Princess of Alderaan," he had told her.

Luke had been slightly concerned that Fett's desire to be wed in Xanth as well would cause some friction, but surprisingly, Leia and Han were quite receptive toward a double wedding. Both Luke and Leia had struck up an unusual friendship with the hunter during their adventures, and Han… well, the novelty of the "heartless" Fett getting hitched was enough to interest Han.

So all in all, everything had turned out pretty well for everyone involved… except maybe X(A/N)TH. Though Luke harbored no hatred toward the World Demon, really. What he had done to Anakin still rankled, but he had decided to let go of his hatred.

Besides, though slicing the demon-turned-dueling-droid apart on a regular basis was a tempting prospect, he decided to leave that for his Padawans. He had enough on his plate.

When they emerged in the village square, Luke started in surprise. He had expected all of Imp Ire to turn up… but there were far more than imps here. Centaurs, ogres, crossbreeds of every stamp, curse fiends, and a few familiar faces…

"Luke, you're back!"

Jenny came running, Sammy close on her heels. She threw her arms around Luke's waist, then turned and embraced Leia as well, then Fett.

"I'm so glad you came back! This is so exciting, Leia, you're getting married! And is this your husband-to-be? He's so handsome… and who's this?"

Chewie barked a greeting and extended a massive paw toward Jenny.

"This is Chewbacca, Jenny," Luke introduced. "He's a friend of ours."

"Hello, Chewbacca," Jenny greeted, curtseying. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Jenny Elf."

Chewie gave a whuffing laugh.

"He likes you," Leia translated.

"C'mon, the others want to meet you," Jenny urged, taking Luke by the hand and dragging him away. He laughed and followed.

Gathered near a beautifully flowered canopy was an eclectic group of characters – Sorceress Alto, still in her bizarre dress and with a massive dragon hovering at her side like a trained dog; a hooded creature with a death-pale hand clutching a large red hoop; the Imp-eror, smiling fondly at Luke like a grandfather; the Good Magician, his ever-present book open in his lap; Padme, smiling proudly; Phillipa, still in human form; and a familiar-looking woman with short gray-brown hair, glasses, a notebook under one arm, and a gold formal with feathers at the neck and sleeves.

"Can't resist getting in on the action, can you, Kenya?" Luke asked, extending a hand.

"Hey, I'm not going to miss the wedding of the century," she replied, shaking his hand. "Or weddings, I guess I should say. Pity, though – I'd be interested in dating Fett if he weren't already attached."

Luke laughed. "I was kind of hoping Metria would be here too… or Mentia…"

"Mentia wouldn't come," the Good Magician huffed. "She was always contrary. And Metria's too busy doting on her fool husband and trying to get the stork's attention."

Sounded like Metria to him. He turned to the others. "I know you, Alto… but who's this?"

"This is Hood," Leia introduced. "He helped me at the Ogre-fen. I'm glad you're here, Hood."

Hood raised a hand and waved.

"You have quite the crowd at your wedding, kid," Alto told Leia, pursing her royal-purple lips and looking around. "Not this many people showed up at Dor and Irene's wedding, and they're the king and queen of Xanth. People must like you."

Padme stepped forward to embrace her children. "Welcome back, Luke. Leia… Leia, you've grown so beautiful…"

"Mother…" Leia breathed.

Fett strode past Kenya, Alto, Hood, Padme, the Imp-eror, and the Good Magician without so much as a pause, then embraced Phillipa. "I told you I would be back."

"I knew you would be," Phillipa replied. "I just knew it."

Luke turned to scan the crowd again. "Where's Father?" He had hoped…

But it wasn't to be, apparently. "My men have seen no sign of him since the battle with the Crypt Keeper. I'm sorry, Walker of the Sky."

His heart sank. He missed his father. And he sincerely hoped nothing had happened to him in Mundania …

Branches snapped, and gasps and screams filled the village as a silver-blue wheeled vehicle careened through the trees and came to a screeching halt in the center of the square. Doors on both sides of the vehicle popped open, and three figures emerged, two of them gaping in wonder. One was dressed as a stormtrooper, the other in Vader armor. The third…

"Father!"

The startled crowd parted to let Anakin reach his son. The elder Skywalker swept Luke up in his arms.

"My son…" he murmured.

"Father," Luke murmured. "I was so worried about you."

"I'm so sorry, son…"

"For what?" Luke asked, releasing his father and stepping back to look him in the eye. "You had no control over what happened, Father. And it's not important anyhow. All that matters is that we saved Xanth… and that you're back."

Leia stepped away from Han and Hood and, to Anakin's great shock, embraced him as well. A smile cut through his stunned expression, and he laughed gently and returned the gesture.

"Father, I forgive you," Leia told him. "For everything. Jenny was right. If you could defy X(A/N)TH for Luke, even if it meant your death, you have truly changed."

Anakin blinked back tears. "That means… a great deal, my daughter."

Luke turned to the two men who had accompanied his father. They were still gaping at everyone and everything around them, apparently unaware of how stupid they looked.

"Hey Father, who're your friends?"

"Douglas and Christian, citizens of Mundania," Anakin replied. "They helped me reach Xanth." He turned to the two men with an amused smile. "So, would you still rather go to that convention, or would you care to take a vacation in Xanth?"

"What kind of question is that?" demanded Christian. "Of course we're staying!"

"Anything with both Star Wars and Xanth," Douglas added.

Anakin laughed. "What's with the crowd?" he asked.

"Your daughter's getting married, Anakin," Padme told him with a teasing smile. "And it's about time you showed up, we thought you'd never make it…"

"Do you think I'd miss this?" he countered, laughing. "Not for the galaxy."

Leia extended an arm. "Would you take me down the isle, then?"

"Gladly."

_Break…_

Good Magician Humphrey slammed his book shut, wincing. Noisy bunch, these imps. With the rowdy music and all the dancing, he wasn't going to get any work done here.

The wedding reception was still going full-blast. Food and drink flowed freely, and music of every variety filled the square, from that cursed Mundanian noise to the more tolerable GFFA tunes to true Xanthian music. From where the Good Magician sat, he could pick out various couples among those dancing – Chang and Wara, Leia and Han, Anakin and Padme, Fett and Phillipa, Sorceress Alto and Luke, Chewbacca and a centaur woman, Douglas and a harpy-naga crossbreed, Christian and Jenny, an imp woman and that strange blue and silver droid Luke and his company had brought along for the ride…

He picked up his book and strode toward the table where Kenya sat, jotting something down in her notebook.

"And why aren't you out there dancing?" he demanded.

"Do I have to?" she retorted. "It's not exactly my strong point." She smiled a little but didn't look up from her writing. "Well, looks like a happy ending for this story. Not what I expected it to be, but it works. Let's hope those reading it will think so."

He set his book down and opened it. "I presume you're finishing up this historical volume for the Muses?"

"I'm almost done," she replied. "Why?"

"I think this is the last volume you will be required to do."

"Rats," she replied. "I'd hoped to do another one. They're tough to write, but…"

"There are other projects you need to devote your time to," he told her. "Besides, I think the Skywalkers' tale is finished for now."

Kenya smiled. "You know, when you first contacted me about writing these stories, I had my doubts. I mean, Star Wars and Xanth couldn't be any more different, right? But they seem to have done pretty well together. Better than I suspected, at any rate."

The Good Magician felt an urge to smile but managed to successfully quash it. "Sometimes, it's a blessing to be proven wrong."

**Author's Note**

If you haven't already noticed from reading my other works, I'm a big fan of what are often derogatorily called "fluff" endings in fanfics – where evil is destroyed, dark characters are redeemed, and all ends well and happily (usually with a wedding). Call them cheesy or overdone or whatever, but I much prefer things to end pleasantly, rather than the sometimes apocalyptic or overly tragic endings I've come across.

When I wrote "Centaur of Attention," I decided to take a departure from my usual "fluff" ending style, and ended that story on a slightly darker note than usual. Nothing heart-shattering or destructive, of course, but with just enough loose ends for the reader to tie together for a satisfactory ending. But when I went back and reread the story, the resolution left me feeling… unsatisfied, as if I'd cheated myself and my readers.

"Catacombs" was the natural answer, of course, and I feel it tied everything together pretty well. Yes, the ending is fluffy, but I feel it's truer to my personal style.

While "Centaur of Attention" is characteristic of the style of the earlier Xanth books, "Catacombs" is more reminiscent of the newer Xanth books. Reality is twisted and warped to an alarming degree, real-life people make appearances, the World Demons have much more influence, Mundania pops in regularly, and sly references to other works are incorporated. This explains the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" reference in Chapter 3 and the "Empire Strikes Back" filming scene in Chapter 12.

Hood is a character from James Dashner's "Jimmy Fincher Saga," and the riddle of the door comes from the second book of the series, "A Gift of Ice." This is a cheat, I know, as Piers has yet to go as far as using a character from another series in Xanth, but I did it as a tribute to a lesser-known but excellent author. (If you're interested in the Jimmy Fincher books, check them out – they're put out by Bonneville Publishing and are available online.)

Yes, Supernova is someone's real name, though I will respect their privacy in this story.

Chang Centaur, Chas Centaur, Wara Werecorn, Darius Dracotaur, the imps of Imp Ire, Phillipa, Sorceress Alto, Douglas, Christian, Carter Curse Fiend, the Four Horsemen, the Crypt Keeper, and Demon F(O/R)CE are my own characters; the rest can be found in at least one Xanth book (or a Star Wars movie).

Imp Ire, Lake Eerie, and the catacombs of Castle Zombie are my own creation.

The following puns are my own: slippery-elm tree, mail-man, milk-man, couch potato, fingernails, toenails, hangnails, bluff, cat nip, dogwood, cardinal, walking-sticks, silversword plant, tear-odactyl, rock star, country-western star, iron maiden, eye rack (to go with the George Bush pun from "Centaur of Attention"), ovenbird, rosewood, key of a map (actually, this one's borrowed from "National Treasure"), aqua-fur, glass tiger (yes, it comes from the band name), flu bug, plot device, horse of a different color (yes, borrowed from "Wizard of Oz"), merry-gold flowers, conductor, meteor-ologist, inversion, Dune Sea, silver maple, Tree of Knowledge, paper tiger, cat burglar, tiger snake, tiger moth, catatonia.

And as stated in my conversation with the Good Magician, I believe this is the last Xanth tale… for now, at least. It seems a proper place to end. But if the magician makes another call to announce new developments among the Walkers of the Sky, I'll be sure to let the readers know.


End file.
